Risk factors for sexually transmitted infections among mine workers in Orkney, North West Province, South Africa
Date
2015-03-27
Authors
Magadla, Bulelwa
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Abstract
Title: Risk factors for sexually transmitted infections among mine workers in Orkney, North West Province, South Africa.
Background: The role of mobile populations in the spread of HIV has been documented in several countries of the world. In South Africa, the relationship between mine migration and HIV has been studied in detail in the mining town of Carletonville and in Welkom. The link between HIV acquisition and transmission has been well documented. Prevention and early treatment of sexually transmitted infections have been identified as public health priorities as reflected in HIV/AIDS, TB and STI strategic plan of South Africa (2012 – 2016). In this study we sought to measure the prevalence of STIs among mine workers at baseline before a planned STI treatment intervention.
Objectives: To: 1) Measure the prevalence of STIs amongst the mine workers. 2) Describe the types of STI in the population. 3) Identify risk factors associated with genital ulcers diseases.
Results: The highest percentage of STI positivity 188 (10.6%) was observed in the youngest male group (<30) in the study population and decreasing by age (50-64) at 1.8%. We found that of the 1685 participants, 78 (4.6%) had any STI, with 46 (2.9%) having chlamydia, 20 (1.3%) having gonorrhea and 7 (0.4%) having genital ulcer STI. Age was found to be a significant predictor of Chlamydia status. Fitting a multiple logistic regression model showed that the age group of a participant and whom the participant lived with were the two major independent factors that were associated with the risk of a person having an STI.
Conclusion: There is a high demand for STI prevention programmes to focus on the younger age group. A surprising finding that in fact risk of STIs was higher among men living with their partners than among those in the single-sex hostels, where we expected to find the highest risk.
Targeted door to door prevention education campaigns may go a long way in modifying the behaviour of having multiple sexual partners.