TY - JOUR
T1 - Sexually Transmitted Infections and the Risk of Reinfection Within 12 Months
T2 - A Population-Based Cohort
AU - Kumbaroff, Zoe
AU - Duff, Putu
AU - Saxton, Peter
AU - Sonder, Gerard J. B.
AU - Thirkell, Callum
AU - Scott, Julia
AU - Walls, Tony
AU - Anglemyer, Andrew
N1 - Funding Information: Conflict of Interest and Sources of Funding: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. This work was supported by funds from the New Zealand Ministry of Health STI Surveillance. P.S. was supported by a Burnett Foundation Aotearoa Fellowship. Publisher Copyright: © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are common sexually transmitted infections that disproportionately affect specific groups in New Zealand (NZ). Predictors of reinfection are not well studied in NZ but could inform public health strategies to decrease sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence. METHODS: New Zealand-wide chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases during 2019 were identified using nationally collected data. Cases were followed-up to identify reinfection with the same STI within 12 months of initial infections. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors for each STI reinfection. RESULTS: Determinants identified for increased odds of chlamydia reinfection were age groups 16-19 and 20-24 years, females, Māori and Pacific peoples, cases in the Northern region, and cases with at least one test before the initial infection. Age 40 years and older was associated with lower odds of gonorrhea reinfection, as was being of Asian ethnicity, living in Midland or Southern regions, and reporting heterosexual behavior. Region was the only statistically significant predictor for syphilis reinfection, with higher odds of reinfection for people living in the Central region. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reflect disproportionate STI rates for some groups in NZ, with younger age groups, Māori and Pacific peoples, men who have sex with men, and people living in the Northern region experiencing higher odds of reinfection. Groups identified with higher odds for reinfection require increased access to culturally responsive health services to treat, understand, and prevent possible reinfection. Changes to current public health strategies could include culturally specific behavioral counseling, and improvements to and adherence to effective contract tracing.
AB - BACKGROUND: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are common sexually transmitted infections that disproportionately affect specific groups in New Zealand (NZ). Predictors of reinfection are not well studied in NZ but could inform public health strategies to decrease sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence. METHODS: New Zealand-wide chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases during 2019 were identified using nationally collected data. Cases were followed-up to identify reinfection with the same STI within 12 months of initial infections. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors for each STI reinfection. RESULTS: Determinants identified for increased odds of chlamydia reinfection were age groups 16-19 and 20-24 years, females, Māori and Pacific peoples, cases in the Northern region, and cases with at least one test before the initial infection. Age 40 years and older was associated with lower odds of gonorrhea reinfection, as was being of Asian ethnicity, living in Midland or Southern regions, and reporting heterosexual behavior. Region was the only statistically significant predictor for syphilis reinfection, with higher odds of reinfection for people living in the Central region. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reflect disproportionate STI rates for some groups in NZ, with younger age groups, Māori and Pacific peoples, men who have sex with men, and people living in the Northern region experiencing higher odds of reinfection. Groups identified with higher odds for reinfection require increased access to culturally responsive health services to treat, understand, and prevent possible reinfection. Changes to current public health strategies could include culturally specific behavioral counseling, and improvements to and adherence to effective contract tracing.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85176508533&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001874
DO - https://doi.org/10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001874
M3 - Article
C2 - 37824285
SN - 0148-5717
VL - 50
SP - 775
EP - 781
JO - Sexually transmitted diseases
JF - Sexually transmitted diseases
IS - 12
ER -