title: Trends in sexually transmitted infections in general practice 1990-2000: population based study using data from the UK general practice research database.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the contribution of primary care to the diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections in the United Kingdom, 1990-2000, in the context of increasing incidence of infections in genitourinary medicine clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  UK primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients registered in the UK general practice research database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence of diagnosed sexually transmitted infections in primary care and estimation of the proportion of major such infections diagnosed in primary care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An estimated 23.0% of chlamydia cases in women but only 5.3% in men were diagnosed and treated in primary care during 1998-2000, along with 49.2% cases of non-specific urethritis and urethral discharge in men and 5.7% cases of gonorrhoea in women and 2.9% in men. Rates of diagnosis in primary care rose substantially in the late 1990s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A substantial and increasing number of sexually transmitted infections are diagnosed and treated in primary care in the United Kingdom, with sex ratios differing from those in genitourinary medicine clinics. Large numbers of men are treated in primary care for presumptive sexually transmitted infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London NW3 3PF. j.cassell@pcps.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jackie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cassell
authors.forename: Catherine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Mercer
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: M Gary
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Brook
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: George R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Kinghorn
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Simms
authors.forename: Gwenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Azeem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Majeed
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hayward
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology