title: The epidemiology of vulvovaginal candidiasis among university students.
abstract: Vulvovaginal candidiasis affects approximately 20% of women annually, but it is not well characterized epidemiologically. Of 1027 respondents to two mailed cross-sectional surveys at a large university, 37.5% reported a prior clinical diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis. The frequency of first diagnosis increased rapidly after age 17, with an estimated 54.7% of women experiencing the condition by age 25. In a proportional hazards model of age at first diagnosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis was associated with initiation of sexual activity (rate ratio [RR] = 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2, 3.8), oral contraceptive use (RR = 1.7; CI = 1.4, 2.2), and White (RR = 3.1; CI = 1.7, 5.7) and Black (RR = 5.9; CI = 3.0, 11.5) race vs Asian.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor 48109-2029, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Foxman
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Gillespie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D044469:Racial Groups; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral