(P47) STI Rates among a University Student Population Before, During, and After Covid-19 Shutdowns

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

16:00 – 18:00 CST

Primary Presenter(s)

Tatyana Gavrikova, MS (she/her/hers)

Reseacher V
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Co-Author(s)

KA

Kristal J. Aaron, DrPH, MSPH (she/her/hers)

Clinical Data Manager II
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Co-author(s)

RC

Rivers Charles, PhD

The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, United States
GJ

Geraldine Jefferson

The University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States
Paula B. Dixon, BS, AS

Laboratory Manager
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
BV

Barbara Van Der Pol, PhD, MPH

University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States

Background

The SARS-COV2 pandemic (CoVID) significantly affected trends in sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The objective of this study was to evaluate testing and positivity rates for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) before, during, and after implementation of remote/hybrid learning on a University campus.

Methods

UAB Student Health Clinic testing data were evaluated from January 2019 – December 2022. We defined the pre-, during and post-restriction periods as 1 Jan 2019 – 6 May 2020, 7 May 2020 – 22 Aug 2021, and 23 Aug 2021 – 31 Dec 2022, respectively. We examined test volume and positivity rates during each time period using patients’ first visit data for that period.

Results

The monthly number of CT, NG, and TV tests was 103 in the pre-period, 62 in the during-period, and 82 in the post-restriction period.

For women, CT was detected in 182/1158 (15.7%), 190/747 (25.4%) and 212/1106 (19.2%) in the pre-, during and post-restriction periods, respectively (p < 0.05). NG was detected in 189/1158 (16.3%), 40/747 (5.4%) and 136/1106 (12.3%) in the pre-, during and post-restriction periods, respectively (p < 0.05). TV was detected in 18/1158 (1.6%), 10/747 (1.3%) and 21/1106 (1.9%) in the pre-, during and post-restriction periods, respectively (p=NS).

Among men, CT was detected in 68/380 (17.9%), 68/237 (28.7%) and 53/271 (19.8%) in the pre-, during and post-restriction periods, respectively (p < 0.05). NG was detected in 70/380 (17.9%), 12/237 (28.7%) and 24/271 (19.6%) in the pre-, during and post-restriction periods, respectively (p < 0.05). TV was detected in 1/380 (0.3%), 1/237 (0.4%) and 1/271 (0.4%) in the pre-, during and post-restriction periods, respectively (p=NS).

Conclusions

Despite lower test volumes, rates of CT infection were greater during the remote/hybrid learning period for both men and women; however, NG rates fell during this period for women, but increased in men. There were no differences in TV positivity rates across the times studied. These data highlight potential differential impact of restriction of services between men and women and between CT and NG.