Risk Factors for Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Patients Attending Dermatovenereology Clinics in Al-Taif, West Saudi Arabia | ||||
| Journal of High Institute of Public Health | ||||
| Article 7, Volume 31, Issue 3, July 2001, Page 541-552 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.231595 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| Mohammed S. Mohammed1, 2; Ali H. Tawfik3, 4 | ||||
| 1Department of Preventive Medicine, Al Hada Military Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia | ||||
| 2Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt | ||||
| 3Department of Dematovenereology, Al Ameen Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia | ||||
| 4Professor of Dermatovenereology, Al-Azhar University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The purpose of this work is to investigate some risk factors associated with occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases [ST.Ds] among patients of the dermatovenereology clinics in Al-Taif, Saudi Arabia. All cases diagnosed as STDs from those attending dermatovenereology clinics at Al-Ameen &Al Hada Military Hospital at Al-Taif region in West Saudi Arabia, during the period of one year [from the beginning of January 2000 to the end of December 2000] were included in the study. A questionnaire interview with the patient was performed to collect basic epidemiologic data as age, sex and socioeconomic standard of the e family as determined by family size, family income, marital status, type of occupation and level lated of education. Past history of some factors that may be associated with the occurrence of STDs were investigated. For each case, a control matched for age and sex was chosen from patients attending the same hospital for causes unrelated to STDs. Out of 180 cases of STDs diagnosed, males constituted the majority of cases [60% ]. The majority of cases [94%] occurred in the age group [15- 45 years]. The present study shows that being of low social level gives more than two times the estimated risk of STDs compared to those of high and middle social standards [OR=2.55] The most significant predictors of genital infections in the male patients, bate as shown by multivariate analysis, were: being unmarried, greater number of sexual partners, exposure to a symptomatic sexual partner, a high frequency [>3] of sexual intercourse per week, a history of repeated episodes of STDs and practicing coitus interfemoris. With regards to females, multivariate analysis showed that higher frequency of vaginal intercourse >3 times /week and exposure to a symptomatic sexual partner were independent risk factors for genital infections. In conclusion, STDs are multifactorial diseases. They are firmly linked to several risk factors as low social class, marital status [unmarried], earlier age at coitarche [16-19 years], later age at marriage [30-36 years], symptomatic sexual partner, past history of STDs, coitus interfemoris, vaginal intercourse>3 times/week, sexual partners [2 or more in the past year], sexual partners [2 or more in the past 5 years] & sexual partners [2 or more during lifetime]. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Risk Factors; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Patients; Dermatovenereology Clinics; Al-Taif; West Saudi Arabia | ||||
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