The Atlanta Urban Adolescent Network Study: a network view of STD prevalence.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the epidemiology of multiple infections in teenagers and their contacts.


OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate a network approach to the prevalence of STDs/HIV.


METHODS
A community-based network study of ethnographically representative adolescents.


RESULTS
Of the 512 interviewees, 90% of the boys and 80% of the girls were sexually active with many partners and exhibited age-assortative mixing. Prevalences of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HSV-2 were high, but syphilis, Hepatitis C and HIV were virtually absent. The prevalence faced by subgroups differed from overall prevalence.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of bacterial STDs and the absence of HIV, HCV, and syphilis may be the result of no IDU and assortative age mixing. Testing for multiple conditions, network assessment of prevalence, and inclusion of social contacts enhance understanding of STD epidemiology.
Rothenberg
Richard
R
Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. rrothen@emory.edu
Dan My Hoang
Tina
T
Muth
Stephen Q
SQ
Crosby
Richard
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017677:Age Distribution; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012944:Social Support; D014505:Urban Population