Self-perceived risk of STIs in a population-based study of Scandinavian women

TY - JOUR

T1 - Self-perceived risk of STIs in a population-based study of Scandinavian women

AU - Guleria, Sonia

AU - Faber, Mette Tuxen

AU - Hansen, Bo T

AU - Arnheim-Dahlström, Lisen

AU - Liaw, Kai-Li

AU - Munk, Christian

AU - Nygård, Mari

AU - Kjær, Susanne Krüger

N1 - © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

PY - 2018/11/1

Y1 - 2018/11/1

N2 - OBJECTIVE: This study examined the associations between current behaviours/characteristics and self-perceived risk for STIs, among randomly selected women aged 18-45 years from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.METHOD: A population-based, cross-sectional, questionnaire study (paper based, web based and telephone based) was conducted during 2011-2012. We compared medium-high STI risk perception with no/low risk perception. The associations were explored for women who had ever had sexual intercourse and for women with a new partner in the last 6 months using multivariable logistic regression.RESULT: The overall prevalence of medium-high STI risk perception was 7.4%. It was highest among women aged 18-24 years (16.2%) and among the Danish women (8.8%). Number of new sexual partners in the last 6 months (≥3vs 0 partners, OR 14.94, 95% CI 13.20 to 16.94) was strongly associated with medium-high STI risk perception. Among women with a new partner in the last 6 months, lack of condom use increased medium-high STI risk perception (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.52 to 1.96). Genital warts in the last year, binge drinking and being single were associated with increased risk perception and remained statistically significant after additional adjustments were made for number of new partners and condom use with new partners in the last 6 months.CONCLUSION: Subjective perception of risk for STI was associated with women's current risk-taking behaviours, indicating women generally are able to assess their risks for STIs. However, a considerable proportion of women with multiple new partners in the last 6 months and no condom use still considered themselves at no/low risk for STI.

AB - OBJECTIVE: This study examined the associations between current behaviours/characteristics and self-perceived risk for STIs, among randomly selected women aged 18-45 years from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.METHOD: A population-based, cross-sectional, questionnaire study (paper based, web based and telephone based) was conducted during 2011-2012. We compared medium-high STI risk perception with no/low risk perception. The associations were explored for women who had ever had sexual intercourse and for women with a new partner in the last 6 months using multivariable logistic regression.RESULT: The overall prevalence of medium-high STI risk perception was 7.4%. It was highest among women aged 18-24 years (16.2%) and among the Danish women (8.8%). Number of new sexual partners in the last 6 months (≥3vs 0 partners, OR 14.94, 95% CI 13.20 to 16.94) was strongly associated with medium-high STI risk perception. Among women with a new partner in the last 6 months, lack of condom use increased medium-high STI risk perception (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.52 to 1.96). Genital warts in the last year, binge drinking and being single were associated with increased risk perception and remained statistically significant after additional adjustments were made for number of new partners and condom use with new partners in the last 6 months.CONCLUSION: Subjective perception of risk for STI was associated with women's current risk-taking behaviours, indicating women generally are able to assess their risks for STIs. However, a considerable proportion of women with multiple new partners in the last 6 months and no condom use still considered themselves at no/low risk for STI.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Coitus

KW - Condoms/statistics & numerical data

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Denmark/epidemiology

KW - Female

KW - Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Norway/epidemiology

KW - Prevalence

KW - Risk-Taking

KW - Safe Sex/psychology

KW - Self Concept

KW - Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data

KW - Sexual Partners

KW - Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Sweden/epidemiology

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1136/sextrans-2017-053397

DO - 10.1136/sextrans-2017-053397

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29523719

SN - 1368-4973

VL - 94

SP - 522

EP - 527

JO - Sexually Transmitted Infections

JF - Sexually Transmitted Infections

IS - 7

ER -