Identification and risk assessment of Swedish youth at risk of chlamydia

The aim of the study was to identify youth at high risk of chlamydia including variables related to sexual health and negative experiences of sexuality.

In late 2009, a questionnaire on sexuality was answered by Swedish youth. The study sample was self-selected from different Internet communities. Data from 6544 sexually active participants, aged 15-24 years, were analyzed in a multivariable logistic regression model. Discriminative power was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

In the univariate analysis, self-reported chlamydia was associated with most risk behavior variables, experience of coerced sex, and reimbursement for sex, with slight gender variation. The factors that best predicted self-reported chlamydia among females were number of partners, age, and having been reimbursed for sex. Among males, the number of partners and alcohol consumption were the strongest predictors. Increasing number of partners up to 10 during the past 12 months was the most important predictor for both genders. A skewed distribution of chlamydia was demonstrated, in that 37.6% of cases in females and 38.6% in males were estimated to occur among a tenth of the population.

Testing, prevention, and care for chlamydia should be directed toward those most at risk, as they account for a large proportion of the total number of chlamydia cases. The special needs of the high-risk group need to be acknowledged and chlamydia regarded as a possible marker for risk behavior and negative sexuality experiences.