Prevalencia de infecciones de transmisión sexual y factores de riesgo para la salud sexual de adolescentes escolarizados, Medellín, Colombia, 2013

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in a group of adolescents in Medellín, Colombia, and the most frequent risk factors for acquiring them. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study, between 2010 and 2013, in 569 students who had started sexual intercourse. A questionnaire was applied, and screening was done for the following infections: hepatitis B, syphilis, HIV, HPV, gonorrhea, Chlamydia tra chomatis, bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, and nongonococcal urethritis in men. Results: Women had the following frequencies of infections: HPV 28.1%; Chlamydia trachomatis 11.4%; bacterial vaginosis 42.7%; candidiasis 14.1%. Nongonococcal urethritis was found in 6.2% of men. Hepatitis B, syphilis, HIV, and gonococcal infections were not found. The most frequent risk factors were as follows: to have started sexual relations before the age of 15 (59.9%); not to use condom (58.2%); not to have utilized condom in the last sexual intercourse (41.7%); to lack adequate knowledge on sexual health (39.1%); to have had three or more sexual partners (30.6%); to have had sexual partners 10 or more years older than themselves (20.4%), and to have sexual relations with persons different from the formal partner (18.8%). Conclusions: The high prevalence of STIs in teenagers that are just starting sexual life must be an alert to implement high impact sexual health programs.