HIV / STI
The factors Associated with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Screening among Women in the United States. Shilpa Patil* SHILPA PATIL Dr. Malinee Neelamegam
Background – Although many STIs are preventable, STI rates in the U.S. have continued to rise. According to the CDC’s Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Surveillance 2021 annual report, more than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported. During 2020-2021, the chlamydia and gonorrhea rate among women increased by 2.4%, whereas the primary and secondary syphilis rate among women increased by 55.3%.
STI screening among women is crucial to protecting individual health and preventing the spread of infections. This study aims to determine the factors associated with STI screening among women of childbearing age in the U.S.
Methods – This study is a secondary data analysis of the 2017-2019 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). The screening process involves interviewing individuals aged 15 to 49 from selected households about sexual health and collecting optional urine samples for STI testing, with financial incentives offered for participation. Bivariate analysis is done using chi-square tests, and multivariate analysis is done using logistic regression methods.
Results – Respondents comprised 26.45% (n= 1624) Hispanic and 73.55% (n= 4517) non-Hispanic women (4.54% (n = 279) other races, 21.59% (n= 1326) African American, 47.42% (n=2912) White). Ages range from 32.34% at 15-25 years, 37.01% at 25-35, to 30.65% at 35-49 years. Only 32% of women underwent STI screening in the past year.
STI screening was significantly associated with having a usual place of care(aOR: 1.44, 95% CI 1.14-1.83), possessing public health insurance (aOR 1.48, 95%CI 1.11-1.99), achieving higher education levels (aOR 2.88, 95% CI 2.03, 4.07), being unmarried (aOR 1.57, 95% CI 1.17 – 2.10), and identifying as Hispanic (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.20-1.99) or non-Hispanic Black (aOR 2.22, 95% CI 1.60-3.07). Conversely, older age categories exhibited a lower likelihood of receiving STI screening.
Conclusion – The study emphasizes the critical need for a multi-pronged approach to boost STI screening in U.S. women, focusing on increased healthcare access, enhanced health literacy, and tailored public health messaging that addresses women’s diverse backgrounds and relationship statuses. It also calls for age-specific interventions to heighten STI risk awareness and underscore the importance of regular screening, advocating for a comprehensive strategy to foster proactive and informed sexual health management across all age groups.