title: Trichomonas vaginalis in Vanuatu.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis in two island populations of Vanuatu using the Pap smear as the screening technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women were randomly selected from specific sites on the islands of Efate (urban setting) and Ambae (rural setting). Pap smears were collected, screened and reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first collection site was the Women's Health/Antenatal Care Clinic at Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila, the capital city located on the island of Efate, and the second collection site was a rural village on a sparsely populated inhabited northern island, Ambae.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 905 Ni-Vanuatu women participants: Efate (n = 562) 62%, and Ambae (n = 343) 38%. The mean age was 35.8 years: Efate 32.6 years, and Ambae 40.8 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence or absence of T. vaginalis in these Pap smears was documented during the study's cervical screening process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of T. vaginalis within the study participants was 25.3%. Almost half of the infected sample group were in the age group of 30-39 years (43.8%). The prevalence of T. vaginalis in Efate was 14.7%, compared with 43.4% in Ambae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of T. vaginalis in Vanuatu women is significantly higher compared with developed countries. Women in rural settings are less likely to have access to sexually transmitted disease prevention and treatment programs, thus contributing to high infection rates compared with women in urban settings. Cultural and educational differences in the rural setting might also contribute to higher sexually transmitted disease rates among these women.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. lacn@aapt.net.au
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fotinatos
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Warmington
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pilbeam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012736:Sex Education; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D009514:Vanuatu / Q000453:epidemiology