Abstract
Objective: To analyze the difference in the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) between two time periods (2000–2007 and 2008–2014, with the latter period characterized by the economic crisis), as well as determine differences in sociodemographic factors, clinical care, and risk indicators. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, and analytical study, reviewing 1437 medical records of subjects attending a specialized center in the province of Granada (Spain) for consultation associated with the presence or suspicion of an STI between 2000–2014. Data were collected on variables relating to the research objective. A descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis was performed by multiple logistic regression. Results: In the analysis comparing the presence of STIs between the crisis and non-crisis periods, the percentage of positive diagnoses reached 56.6% compared to 43.4% negative diagnoses during the non-crisis period, while the percentages were 75.2% and 24.8%, respectively, during the crisis period. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001) with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.21 after adjusting for age, sex, days since last unprotected sexual intercourse, and partners in the last year. Conclusions: There are significant differences in the prevalence of STIs between the study periods, which is consistent with the reports of some authors regarding the effect of the financial crisis on these conditions; however, it is worth considering other aspects that might explain the differences.
Highlights
IntroductionTransmitted infections (STIs) pose a serious public health problem due to the number of people affected and the complications and associated consequences if they are not treated in a timely manner [1,2,3,4,5]
Transmitted infections (STIs) pose a serious public health problem due to the number of people affected and the complications and associated consequences if they are not treated in a timely manner [1,2,3,4,5].Since the mid-1990s in the European Union, there has been a steady increase in these diseases, especially acute bacterial infections, primarily affecting young people, ethnic minorities, and homosexuals [6]
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [8], in addition to sexual behavior, the social or economic situation increases the vulnerability of individuals to STIs
Summary
Transmitted infections (STIs) pose a serious public health problem due to the number of people affected and the complications and associated consequences if they are not treated in a timely manner [1,2,3,4,5]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [8], in addition to sexual behavior, the social or economic situation increases the vulnerability of individuals to STIs. A systematic review of the impact of economic crises on the control and transmission of infectious diseases supports this conclusion [9], which is a hypothesis that has been supported by other reports and research [10,11]. Differences were analyzed in relation to sociodemographic factors, clinical care, and risk indicators
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