142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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STI testing practices: WSW compared to WSM and WSWM

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 : 11:20 AM - 11:45 AM

Margo Mullinax, Ph.D., MPH , Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York, NY
Vanessa Schick, PhD , Division of Management, Policy and Community Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Debby Herbenick, PhD, MPH , Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN
Joshua G. Rosenberger, PhD, MPH , Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Michael Reece, PhD , Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN
Background: Research on sexual risk, sexually transmitted infections (STI), and related health care delivery among women who have sex with women (WSW) is limited. The purpose of this study is to better understand sexual health maintenance practices among WSW relative to women who also have male partners. The specific focus of this study was on recent STI screening practices.

Methods: Data were collected via an anonymous multinational online survey. Analysis was constrained to a subsample of 2,160 women who reported having genital contact with a man and/or a woman in the past year. Exploratory analyses and a multivariate logistic regression was conducted to assess the relationship between having reporting recent STI screening and gender of sexual partners in the past year.

Results: The majority of participants in the study did not report a history of STI screening in the past year (61.3%, n=1,324).  Age, educational level, and gender of partners in the past year significantly predicted recent STI screening. Participants with genital contact with men had 2.02 times greater odds of reporting recent STI screening and participants with genital contact both men and women had 2.09 times greater odds of reporting recent STI screening as compared to participants who reported genital contact with only women in the past year.

Discussion: Women who have sex with men are encouraged to get screened for STI while women who only have sex with women may not perceive themselves to be at risk despite documented STI transmission between women.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate STI testing practices among women who have sex with women. Describe relationship between having been tested for STIs and gender of sexual partners in the past year.

Keyword(s): STDs/STI, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My qualifications are demonstrated by eight years of research, teaching, service, and field experience in sexual and reproductive health in the Caribbean, Africa, and the U.S. I have spearheaded all phases of research implementation from design and data collection to evaluation and reporting, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. As Project Coordinator for the Center for Sexual Health Promotion, I collaborate on numerous research projects and mentor students in public health research projects.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5144.0: Across the spectrum of STIs: Risks, testing and consequences among diverse women