Characteristics of new episodes of patients with STI reported by the SGP in 2013–2014 (N=306)
| Row % (95% CI) | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2014 | n (%) | |
| Gender (valid n=279) | |||
| Men | 56.1 (43.6 to 71.0) | 58.3 (47.0 to 71.6) | 160 (57.3) |
| Women | 43.9 (33.0 to 57.3) | 41.7 (32.2 to 53.1) | 119 (42.7) |
| Missing values | 27 (8.8) | ||
| Age in years (valid n=295) | |||
| <25 | 38.5 (28.8 to 50.5) | 37.5 (28.6 to 48.3) | 112 (38.0) |
| 25–44 | 48.1 (37.2 to 61.4) | 49.4 (39.1 to 61.5) | 144 (48.8) |
| ≥45 | 13.3 (7.9 to 21.1) | 13.1 (8.1 to 20.1) | 39 (13.2) |
| Missing values | 11 (3.6) | ||
| Educational level (valid n=210) | |||
| Primary or lower | 6.9 (2.8 to 14.3) | 1.8 (0.2 to 6.6) | 9 (4.3) |
| Secondary | 47.5 (35.0 to 63.0) | 56.9 (43.6 to 72.9) | 110 (52.4) |
| Tertiary or higher | 45.5 (33.3 to 60.8) | 41.3 (30.1 to 55.2) | 91 (43.3) |
| Missing values | 96 (31.4) | ||
| Country of birth (valid n=295) | |||
| Belgium | 85.2 (70.3 to 1.00) | 80.6 (67.3 to 95.8) | 244 (82.7) |
| Other country | 14.8 (9.0 to 22.9) | 19.4 (13.2 to 27.5) | 51 (17.3) |
| Missing values | 11 (3.6) | ||
| STI diagnoses (valid n=306) | |||
| Chlamydia | 36.7 (27.3 to 48.2) | 48.5 (38.5 to 60.3) | 132 (43.1) |
| Gonorrhoea | 20.1 (13.4 to 29.1) | 14.4 (9.2 to 21.4) | 52 (17.0) |
| Syphilis | 12.2 (7.1 to 19.6) | 8.4 (4.6 to 14.1) | 31 (10.1) |
| Genital warts | 28.1 (20.0 to 38.4) | 21.0 (14.6 to 29.1) | 74 (24.2) |
| Co-infection | 2.9 (0.8 to 7.4) | 7.8 (4.1 to 13.3) | 17 (5.6) |
| Missing values | 0 (0.0) | ||
| Reinfection (valid n=306) | 12.9 (7.7 to 20.5) | 17.4 (11.6 to 24.9) | 47 (15.4) |
| Missing values | 0 (0.0) | ||
| RFE or STI-related symptoms (valid n=300) | |||
| Screening (patient-initiated) | 16.9 (10.7 to 25.4) | 22.6 (15.9 to 31.1) | 60 (20.0) |
| Prenatal STI test | 2.9 (0.8 to 7.5) | 1.2 (0.0 to 4.4) | 6 (2.0) |
| Partner with STI | 12.5 (7.3 to 20.0) | 15.9 (10.4 to 23.2) | 43 (14.3) |
| Other RFE (non-symptom-based) | 9.6 (5.1 to 16.3) | 6.1 (2.9 to 11.2) | 23 (7.7) |
| Any of 4 non-symptom-based RFE | 41.2 (31.1 to 53.5) | 45.7 (36.0 to 57.3) | 131 (43.7) |
| Urethritis/epididymitis | 29.4 (21.0 to 40.0) | 29.9 (22.1 to 39.5) | 89 (29.7) |
| Proctitis | 0.3 (0.0 to 7.5) | 0.6 (0.0 to 3.4) | 5 (1.7) |
| Cervicitis/vaginitis | 12.5 (7.3 to 20.0) | 10.4 (6.0 to 16.6) | 34 (11.3) |
| Genital ulcer | 8.1 (4.0 to 14.5) | 5.5 (2.5 to 10.4) | 20 (6.7) |
| Other symptoms | 19.1 (12.5 to 28.0) | 22.0 (15.4 to 30.4) | 62 (20.7) |
| Any of 5 symptom-based RFE | 67.6 (54.5 to 83.0) | 62.8 (51.3 to 76.2) | 195 (65.0) |
| Missing values | 6 (2.0) | ||
| Sexual risk history | |||
| Infection acquired abroad (valid n=293) | 6.1 (2.6 to 12.0) | 8.0 (4.3 to 13.7) | 21 (7.2) |
| Missing values | 13 (4.3) | ||
| Homosexual or bisexual contacts (valid n=278) | 20.5 (13.4 to 30.0) | 12.6 (7.6 to 19.6) | 45 (16.2) |
| Missing values | 28 (9.2) | ||
| ≥2 sex partners in last 6 months (valid n=191) | 36.0 (24.6 to 50.8) | 40.2 (28.8 to 54.5) | 73 (38.2) |
| Missing values | 115 (37.6) | ||
| No condom use (valid n=229) | 80.6 (64.2 to 99.9) | 81.7 (66.7 to 99.1) | 186 (81.2) |
| Missing values | 77 (25.2) | ||
| No steady relation (valid n=257) | 40.7 (30.0 to 53.9) | 46.8 (36.1 to 59.6) | 113 (44.0) |
| Missing values | 49 (16.0) | ||
| (Contact with) SW (valid n=240) | 6.3 (2.5 to 13.0) | 7.0 (3.2 to 13.2) | 16 (6.7) |
| Missing values | 66 (21.6) | ||
| (Contact with) drug injecting person (valid n=259) | 0.0 (−3.1)* | 3.6 (1.2 to 8.3) | 5 (1.9) |
| Missing values | 47 (15.4) | ||
| Sexual risk score (0–7) (valid n=139) | |||
| ≥Median | 52.5 (35.9 to 74.1) | 51.3 (36.6 to 69.8) | 72 (51.8) |
| Missing values | 167 (54.6) | ||
| HIV serologic status (valid n=287) | |||
| Never tested | 30.3 (21.6 to 41.3) | 35.5 (26.7 to 46.2) | 95 (33.1) |
| No results yet | 3.8 (1.2 to 8.8) | 5.8 (2.7 to 11.0) | 14 (4.9) |
| HIV negative | 61.3 (48.7 to 76.3) | 58.0 (46.7 to 71.4) | 171 (59.6) |
| HIV positive | 4.5 (1.7 to 9.9) | 6.5 (0.0 to 3.6) | 7 (2.4) |
| Missing values | 19 (6.2) | ||
| Reason absence HIV test (valid n=65) | |||
| Refusal | 4.3 (0.0 to 24.2) | 9.5 (2.6 to 24.4) | 5 (7.7) |
| Not proposed by GP | 34.8 (15.0 to 68.5) | 57.1 (36.6 to 85.0) | 32 (49.2) |
| Test is planned | 60.9 (33.3 to 100) | 33.3 (18.2 to 56.0) | 28 (43.1) |
| Missing values | 30/95 (31.6) | ||
| Discussion partner notification (valid n=287) | 87.1 (71.9 to 100) | 94.8 (80.1 to 100) | 226 (91.3) |
| Missing values | 19 (6.2) | ||
| Region (valid n=306) | |||
| Flanders (vs Wallonia/Brussels) | 77.0 (63.1 to 93.0) | 75.4 (62.9 to 89.8) | 233 (76.1) |
| Missing values | 0 (0.0) | ||
*One-sided 97.5% CI.
GP, general practitioner; RFE, reason for encounter; SGP, Belgian Network of Sentinel General Practices; STI, sexually transmitted infection; SW, sex worker.