Demographic and behavioral characteristics of male sexually transmitted disease patients in Japan: a nationwide case-control study.
BACKGROUND
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) increased rapidly in Japan during the 1990s.


METHODS
To determine the epidemiologic characteristics of STI patients, male cases (n = 765) from 21 clinics across Japan and controls from the general population (n = 1,167), both aged 18 to 59 years, were compared using two datasets of nationwide sexual behavior surveys conducted in 1999.


RESULTS
Male STI patients were more likely to be <40 years of age (OR = 3.94, 95% CI: 2.17, 7.15), unmarried (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.80, 3.91), and at least college/university educated (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.45, 2.83). They were also more likely to have had multiple partnerships in the previous year (OR = 3.33, 95% CI: 2.20, 5.05 for 2-3 partners, OR = 6.29, 95% CI: 3.81, 10.37 for >or=4 partners), unprotected vaginal sex with regular partners (OR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.75, 4.17), unprotected vaginal and/or oral sex with casual partners (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.40, 3.26), and unprotected vaginal (OR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.46, 4.80) and oral sex with paid partners (OR = 4.72, 95% CI: 3.04, 7.32) in the previous year.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that male STI patients in Japan are highly educated and have a diverse occupational background, and that STI risks exist universally for various types of sex and sexual partnerships.
Homma
Takayuki
T
Department of Drug Management and Policy, Kanazawa University Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa city, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan.
Ono-Kihara
Masako
M
Zamani
Saman
S
Nishimura
Yumiko H
YH
Kobori
Elko
E
Hidaka
Yasuharu
Y
Ravari
Shahrzad M
SM
Kihara
Masahiro
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult