Genital chlamydial infection: a role for social scientists

Potential sociomedical research contributions to the understanding of genital chlamydial infections are outlined in a six-part sociomedical 'checklist'. Sociomedical research focuses on human behavior and its social, economic, cultural, and psychological determinants. Thus, the author urges sociomedical researchers--primarily medical sociologists, medical anthropologists, social psychologists, and public health economists--to explore the cultural, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors contributing to the current 'epidemic' of genital chlamydial infection, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is found worldwide and has now supplanted gonorrhea as the most common STD in the industrialized nations. Control of this STD is particularly important because of its grave consequences for women's and maternal/child health; these include ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and neonatal morbidity. Before effective prevention and control programs can be realized, however, beliefs and behaviors surrounding such areas as sexuality, fertility, contraception, STDs, hygiene, and health care must be discerned for widely based populations in both industrialized and nonindustrialized nations.