S&T-45 ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PUBIC HAIR GROOMING AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS: RESULTS FROM A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE PROBABILITY SAMPLE

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Small-scale studies suggest pubic hair grooming is associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). No large study has evaluated the association between grooming and STIs. Our aim is to characterize this possible correlation. METHOD(S): A national web survey of men and women aged 18 to 65 years was conducted through GfK Custom Research Knowledge Panels, a probability-based web panel designed to be representative of the United States population. Survey questions focused on pubic hair grooming, sexual behavior, and STIs. Cutaneous STIs were categorized as herpes, HPV, molluscum and syphilis. Secretory STIs were categorized as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV. Pubic lice was analyzed separately. We defined extreme grooming as removal of all pubic hair via grooming more than 11 times per year and high frequency grooming as daily or weekly pubic hair trimming. Step-wise multivariable logistic regression modeling was performed to calculate adjusted odds ratios. RESULT(S): 7,580 (52.5%) completed the survey. 74% of subjects reported to groom pubic hair, 66% men and 84% women. After adjusting for age and lifetime number of sexual partners, ever having groomed was positively associated with a history of STIs (OR 1.78; CI 1.44-2.20) and with cutaneous STIs (OR 1.87; CI 1.20-2.91). This positive association persisted for extreme groomers (OR 1.63; CI 1.1- 2.42) and high frequency groomers (OR 1.47; CI 1-2.17). High frequency grooming appeared to be protective for secretory STIs (OR 0.64; CI 0.44-0.94) and extreme grooming appeared to be protective against lice (OR 0.56; CI 0.3-1.02), however this was non significant. CONCLUSION(S): History of pubic hair grooming was positively associated with lifetime history of cutaneous STIs. Removal of all pubic hair may be protective against lice. STI risk reduction strategies should consider inquiry on grooming habits. (Table Presented).