School of Social Sciences and Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute, University of Southampton, UK.
J Biosoc Sci. 2010 Jan;42(1):27-42. doi: 10.1017/S0021932009990289. Epub 2009 Oct 1.
Chlamydia trachomitis is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK and the number of cases diagnosed each year continues to rise. Although much is known about the risk factors for chlamydia from previous observational studies, less is known about how individuals put themselves at risk. Do they engage in just one risky type of behaviour or are certain individuals 'risky', engaging in multiple risky behaviours? This paper uses latent class analysis, applied to the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles II (2000-2001), to determine whether a subgroup of high-risk individuals can be identified and explores which features of their behaviour distinguish them from other groups of lower risk individuals. A 3-class solution was obtained, splitting the sample on the basis of the number of sexual partners in the past year. Those with no sexual partners in the past year (8%) and one sexual partner in the past year (71%) were much less likely to have engaged in any of the other behaviours known to increase chlamydia risk. However, the group who had two or more sexual partners in the past year (21%) were much more likely to have also engaged in other risky behaviours. The number of partners in the past year is therefore a useful marker for identifying those at increased risk of chlamydia infection. Individuals under 25 years old, males and those who were single or previously married were more likely to be allocated to the risky group. However, in spite of observed higher incidence of chlamydia infection, individuals in the black ethnic minority groups did not show an increased prevalence of risky behaviour, after controlling for age, sex and marital status.
沙眼衣原体是英国最常见的性传播感染，每年诊断出的病例数量持续上升。尽管从以前的观察性研究中已经了解到很多关于衣原体的危险因素，但对于个体如何使自己面临风险的了解较少。他们是否只从事一种危险行为，还是某些个体“风险较高”，从事多种危险行为？本文使用潜在类别分析，应用于国家性态度和生活方式调查 II（2000-2001 年），以确定是否可以确定一组高风险个体，并探讨他们行为的哪些特征将他们与其他低风险个体区分开来。基于过去一年中的性伴侣数量，得出了 3 类解决方案，将样本分开。过去一年中没有性伴侣的人（8％）和过去一年中有一个性伴侣的人（71％）不太可能从事其他任何已知会增加衣原体感染风险的行为。但是，过去一年中有两个或更多性伴侣的人（21％）更有可能从事其他危险行为。过去一年中的伴侣数量因此是识别那些衣原体感染风险增加的人的有用指标。年龄在 25 岁以下、男性、单身或已婚的个体更有可能被分配到高风险组。但是，尽管观察到衣原体感染的发病率较高，但在控制年龄、性别和婚姻状况后，少数族裔群体中的个体并未显示出危险行为的发生率增加。
