Chlamydia prevalence among college students: reproductive and public health implications.
BACKGROUND
Routine chlamydia screening is not readily available at all college campuses.


OBJECTIVE
: To assess the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis among asymptomatic college students and to compare chlamydia positivity by selected demographic variables.


METHODS
Analysis of demographical data collected on 789 students who volunteered for a urine screening of C. trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrheae infections at 10 colleges in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.


RESULTS
The median age was 20 years. The chlamydia prevalence among all students was 9.7%. Students under the age of 20 years were 66% more likely to be infected than were older students (95% CI 1.01-2.73). Younger female students were 92% more likely to be infected than were older female students (95% CI 1.03-3.59).


CONCLUSIONS
The chlamydia prevalence was higher in younger college students; more screening efforts and increased awareness are needed to reduce the prevalence of chlamydial infections among students.
James
Adelbert B
AB
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30024, USA. Abjames@emory.edu
Simpson
Tina Y
TY
Chamberlain
William A
WA
D000328:Adult; D000407:Alabama / Q000453:epidemiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008922:Mississippi / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D013333:Student Health Services; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities