Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda.
Understanding treatment-seeking behavior is critical to the treatment and control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), yet current data on STI treatment seeking in low-resource settings is rare. This population-based study aimed to describe STI treatment-seeking behavior and identify factors a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLOS Global Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001626 |
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| _version_ | 1849394565645074432 |
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| author | Yasmin P Ogale Caitlin E Kennedy Fred Nalugoda Josephine Mpagazi Jade C Jackson Ronald Galiwango Robert Ssekubugu Godfrey Kigozi Julie A Denison Charlotte A Gaydos Joseph Kagaayi M Kathryn Grabowski |
| author_facet | Yasmin P Ogale Caitlin E Kennedy Fred Nalugoda Josephine Mpagazi Jade C Jackson Ronald Galiwango Robert Ssekubugu Godfrey Kigozi Julie A Denison Charlotte A Gaydos Joseph Kagaayi M Kathryn Grabowski |
| author_sort | Yasmin P Ogale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding treatment-seeking behavior is critical to the treatment and control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), yet current data on STI treatment seeking in low-resource settings is rare. This population-based study aimed to describe STI treatment-seeking behavior and identify factors associated with seeking treatment at a clinic among adults with STI-related symptoms in rural Uganda. The STI prevalence study (STIPS) conducted a survey and STI testing among all consenting adults aged 18-49 in two communities in rural south-central Uganda. Of 1,825 participants, 962 individuals self-reported STI symptoms in the past six months; we present descriptive data on treatment seeking and STI prevalence among these individuals. We used multivariable Poisson regressions with robust variance to determine the sociodemographic and symptom-related factors independently associated with seeking STI treatment at a clinic and assessed the association with previous clinic treatment seeking and current STI diagnosis. Forty-three percent of adults who reported STI-related symptoms in the past six months said they did not seek any treatment. Among those who did, 58% sought treatment at a private clinic, 28% at a government clinic, 9% at a pharmacy/drug store, 3% at a traditional healer, 2% at a market/shop, and 5% at another location. Among both males and females, having multiple STI related symptoms was positively associated with clinic treatment seeking (males = PRR: 1.73, 95%CI: 1.36-2.21; females = PR: 1.41, 95%CI: 1.12-1.78). Approximately one-third of males and females who reported previously seeking clinic treatment for their symptoms were diagnosed with a curable STI at the time of the survey. In this setting, nearly half of adults with STI-related symptoms are not seeking clinical care and many who report having sought treatment for recent STI symptoms have curable STIs. Future studies should explore barriers to care-seeking and strategies to improve STI services. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b842346bb1c547eb89937ed16faf2b24 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2767-3375 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLOS Global Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-b842346bb1c547eb89937ed16faf2b242025-08-20T03:39:57ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752023-01-0135e000162610.1371/journal.pgph.0001626Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda.Yasmin P OgaleCaitlin E KennedyFred NalugodaJosephine MpagaziJade C JacksonRonald GaliwangoRobert SsekubuguGodfrey KigoziJulie A DenisonCharlotte A GaydosJoseph KagaayiM Kathryn GrabowskiUnderstanding treatment-seeking behavior is critical to the treatment and control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), yet current data on STI treatment seeking in low-resource settings is rare. This population-based study aimed to describe STI treatment-seeking behavior and identify factors associated with seeking treatment at a clinic among adults with STI-related symptoms in rural Uganda. The STI prevalence study (STIPS) conducted a survey and STI testing among all consenting adults aged 18-49 in two communities in rural south-central Uganda. Of 1,825 participants, 962 individuals self-reported STI symptoms in the past six months; we present descriptive data on treatment seeking and STI prevalence among these individuals. We used multivariable Poisson regressions with robust variance to determine the sociodemographic and symptom-related factors independently associated with seeking STI treatment at a clinic and assessed the association with previous clinic treatment seeking and current STI diagnosis. Forty-three percent of adults who reported STI-related symptoms in the past six months said they did not seek any treatment. Among those who did, 58% sought treatment at a private clinic, 28% at a government clinic, 9% at a pharmacy/drug store, 3% at a traditional healer, 2% at a market/shop, and 5% at another location. Among both males and females, having multiple STI related symptoms was positively associated with clinic treatment seeking (males = PRR: 1.73, 95%CI: 1.36-2.21; females = PR: 1.41, 95%CI: 1.12-1.78). Approximately one-third of males and females who reported previously seeking clinic treatment for their symptoms were diagnosed with a curable STI at the time of the survey. In this setting, nearly half of adults with STI-related symptoms are not seeking clinical care and many who report having sought treatment for recent STI symptoms have curable STIs. Future studies should explore barriers to care-seeking and strategies to improve STI services.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001626 |
| spellingShingle | Yasmin P Ogale Caitlin E Kennedy Fred Nalugoda Josephine Mpagazi Jade C Jackson Ronald Galiwango Robert Ssekubugu Godfrey Kigozi Julie A Denison Charlotte A Gaydos Joseph Kagaayi M Kathryn Grabowski Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda. PLOS Global Public Health |
| title | Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda. |
| title_full | Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda. |
| title_fullStr | Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda. |
| title_short | Nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) did not seek clinical care: A population-based study of treatment-seeking behavior among adults in Rakai, Uganda. |
| title_sort | nearly half of adults with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections stis did not seek clinical care a population based study of treatment seeking behavior among adults in rakai uganda |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001626 |
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