Department of Public Health, Health Service Executive, Western Area, Galway, Ireland.
BMC Public Health. 2009 Oct 29;9:397. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-397.
There are no prevalence data on Chlamydia trachomatis relating to female students attending higher education available for the Republic of Ireland. This information is required to guide on the necessity for Chlamydia screening programmes in higher education settings. This research aimed to determine the prevalence of and predictive risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection among female higher education students in Ireland.
All females presenting during one-day periods at Student Health Units in three higher education institutions in two cities in the Republic of Ireland were invited to participate. Participants completed a questionnaire on lifestyle and socio-demographic factors and provided a urine sample. Samples were tested for C. trachomatis DNA by a PCR based technique (Cobas Amplicor, Roche). To examine possible associations between a positive test and demographic and lifestyle risk factors, a univariate analysis was performed. All associations with a p value < 0.05 were included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Of the 460 sexually active participants 22 tested positive (prevalence 4.8%; 95% CI 3.0 to 7.1%). Variables associated with significantly increased risk were current suggestive symptoms, two or more one-night stands and three or more lifetime sexual partners. The students displayed high-risk sexual behaviour.
The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection and the lack of awareness of the significance of suggestive symptoms among sexually experienced female students demonstrate the need for a programme to test asymptomatic or non-presenting higher education students. The risk factors identified by multivariate analysis may be useful in identifying those who are most likely to benefit from screening. Alcohol abuse, condom use, sexual behaviour (at home and abroad) and, knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (including asymptomatic nature or relevant symptoms) were identified as target areas for health promotion strategies. These strategies are needed in view of the high-risk sexual activity identified.
目前爱尔兰共和国尚无关于女大学生感染沙眼衣原体的数据。为了在高等教育环境中指导开展衣原体筛查项目，我们需要了解这方面的信息。本研究旨在确定爱尔兰女大学生生殖道沙眼衣原体感染的流行情况及其相关的危险因素。
在爱尔兰两个城市的三所高等院校的学生健康中心，于特定的一天邀请所有前来就诊的女性参与本研究。参与者填写了一份关于生活方式和社会人口统计学因素的问卷，并提供了尿液样本。采用基于聚合酶链反应（PCR）的技术（Cobas Amplicor，罗氏）对衣原体 DNA 进行检测。为了研究阳性检测结果与人口统计学和生活方式危险因素之间可能存在的关联，我们进行了单变量分析。所有 p 值<0.05 的关联均纳入多变量逻辑回归分析。
在 460 名有性生活的参与者中，有 22 名（4.8%；95% CI 3.0 至 7.1%）检测结果为阳性。与阳性检测结果显著相关的变量包括当前出现提示症状、有过两次或以上一夜情以及有过三次或以上的性伴侣。这些学生表现出了高风险的性行为。
沙眼衣原体感染的流行率以及有性经验的女学生对提示症状重要性的认识不足，这两点都表明需要对无症状或无表现的高等教育学生进行检测。多变量分析确定的危险因素可能有助于识别最有可能受益于筛查的人群。滥用酒精、使用避孕套、性行为（国内外）以及对性传播感染（包括无症状或相关症状）的认识，这些方面都被确定为健康促进策略的重点领域。鉴于本研究中发现的高风险性行为，这些策略是必要的。
