RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Trichomonas has been reported to be rare in Australia's major cities while remaining very common in some extremely remote Aboriginal communities. This study examined the Trichomonas prevalence and relationship to remoteness among patients attending sexual health clinics in rural and remote areas of New South Wales, Australia. METHODS: During the period 2009 to June 2010, all women attending sexual health clinics in the Western and Far Western Local Health Districts of New South Wales who agreed to sexually transmitted infection testing were offered Trichomonas testing using an in-house polymerase chain reaction test. Overall prevalence was calculated, and logistic regression was used to determine association with remoteness of residency. RESULTS: Of the 506 women attending during the study period, 356 (70%) were tested. Thirty women (8.4%) tested positive to Trichomonas. Trichomonas infection was independently associated with increasing age, being symptomatic, never having had a previous Papanicolaou smear, and remote residency. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Trichomonas was relatively high among women attending sexual health clinics in rural and remote western New South Wales. Trichomonas was more common among women living more remotely, which may reflect population-level health service use. Testing for Trichomonas should be considered for all women requesting testing for sexually transmitted infections in rural and remote Australia.
Assuntos
Infecções por Chlamydia/epidemiologia , Gonorreia/epidemiologia , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Teste de Papanicolaou , Sífilis/epidemiologia , Tricomoníase/epidemiologia , Esfregaço Vaginal/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Distribuição por Idade , Infecções por Chlamydia/diagnóstico , Infecções por Chlamydia/prevenção & controle , Serviços de Saúde Comunitária , Feminino , Gonorreia/diagnóstico , Gonorreia/prevenção & controle , Humanos , New South Wales/epidemiologia , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Prevalência , População Rural/estatística & dados numéricos , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Sífilis/diagnóstico , Sífilis/prevenção & controle , Tricomoníase/diagnóstico , Tricomoníase/prevenção & controle , Saúde da MulherRESUMO
BACKGROUND: A prospective, cross-sectional study was undertaken of pregnant women attending antenatal services in the remote far west of New South Wales, Australia, between October 2004 and May 2006. Of 420 eligible women, 218 (52%) participated in the study. Six women (2.7%; 95% CI: 1.0-5.9) tested positive for Chlamydia trachomatis. The prevalence among pregnant, Indigenous women (n = 44) was 9.1% (95% CI: 2.5-21.7). Infection was significantly associated with Indigenous status (P = 0.003) and self-perceived risk for chlamydia (P = 0.05). Pregnant Indigenous women in remote areas may be at higher risk for chlamydia and targeted screening of this group should be considered.
