title: [Early diagnosis and correlations of sexually transmitted infections among women in primary care health services].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in women remain a public health challenge due to high prevalence, difficulties to implement early diagnosis strategies and high rates of complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Identify the prevalence of STIs among users of a primary health care clinic in São Paulo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women, 18 to 40 years of age, were invited to self-collect vaginal specimens to be tested for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Women were also invited to answer a demographic and sexual history questionnaire, either on the computer or face-to-face.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of STIs obtained from the 781 women included in the study was: Chlamydia trachomatis: 8.4%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae: 1.9%, and Trichomonas vaginalis: 3.2%. Thirteen percent tested positive for at least one out of the three STIs. The variables associated independently with a higher risk of STIs were: age under 20-years-old, more than two lifetime sexual partners, and self-perception of STI risk. The use of condoms as a contraceptive method proved to be a protective factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high prevalence found among these women indicates the need for the implementation of STI screening strategies in primary care settings in Brazil.
authors: Departamento de Medicina Social, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. cgluppi@yahoo.com.br
authors: Carla Gianna
authors: CG
authors: Luppi
authors: Rute Loreto Sampaio
authors: RL
authors: de Oliveira
authors: Maria Amélia
authors: MA
authors: Veras
authors: Sheri A
authors: SA
authors: Lippman
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Jones
authors: Christiane Herold
authors: CH
authors: de Jesus
authors: Adriana A
authors: AA
authors: Pinho
authors: Manoel Carlos
authors: MC
authors: Ribeiro
authors: Hélio
authors: H
authors: Caiaffa-Filho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult