Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111440

Nelli Westercamp, BA, Christine L. Mattson, MS, and Robert C. Bailey, PhD, MPH. School of Public Health: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-413-0887, nweste1@uic.edu

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among high-risk men (18-24 years) in Kenya. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data from 1056 participants of a randomized controlled trial of male circumcision to reduce HIV-1 incidence in Kisumu, Kenya. Prevalent cases of primary syphilis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea and chlamydia were identified through laboratory diagnostic procedures. Behavioral risk factors were assessed in structured interviews. Results: Ninety-seven (9%) of men were diagnosed with at least one STI: 11 (1%) had syphilis, 26 (3%) had trichomoniasis, 24 (2%) had gonorrhea and 53 (5%) had chlamydia. We combined data on all STIs due to the small number of cases. In bi-variate analyses, the following factors were associated with any STI: no income last month, having primary school education or less, being married, drinking alcohol, ever exchanging gifts for sex, using a condom less than half the time, preference for “dry sex”, a practice common in parts of Africa, and a man's inability to orgasm during sex. In multivariable analyses, the only factors that remained significant predictors were: educational attainment (OR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.22-3.03), consumption of alcohol (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.08-2.59), and preference for “dry sex” (OR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.13-2.77). Conclusion: These results confirm the importance of several known risk factors associated with STI; yet, remarkably, not others (e.g. condom use, number of sexual partners, age at sexual debut). Further, several risk behaviors (“dry sex”, exchange of gifts for sex, marriage) warrant future study.

Learning Objectives:

• List the prevalence of and risk factors associated with sexually transmitted infections among young men in Western Kenya.
• Discuss the implications of these findings as they relate to prevention efforts.

Keywords: STD, International

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.