Sexually transmitted infections are not associated with US holidays

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Limited research exists on the temporal relationship between sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and calendar events.
• Previous studies suggest seasonal patterns in STI prevalence, but holiday associations remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between US holidays, patient birthdays, and STI testing rates for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomonas.
• To determine if specific calendar events or patient-specific dates correlate with increased STI risk.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of over 153,000 STI tests (PCR, NAAT, rapid antigen, microscopy) from 2006-2023.
• Examination of testing dates for temporal links to US holidays and patient birthdays, considering STI incubation periods.
• Logistic regression analysis to identify significant associations between testing outcomes and calendar events or visit timing.

Main Results:

• Memorial Day was linked to a higher risk of positive gonorrhea tests (OR=1.38, p=0.002).
• Patient birthdays showed an increased risk for positive chlamydia tests (OR=1.11, p=0.02).
• Weekend visits were significantly associated with positive tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomonas (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• No consistent association was found between major US holidays or patient birthdays and positive STI test results.
• Weekend testing emerged as a significant factor associated with increased positive STI diagnoses across multiple infections.