title: Sexually transmitted infections and sexual behaviour of deploying shipboard US military personnel: a cross-sectional analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence and risk behaviour may differ at different phases of deployment. We examined STI prevalence and sexual behaviour in the predeployment time period (12 months prior) among recently deployed shipboard US Navy and Marine Corps military personnel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 1938 male and 515 female service members through an anonymous, self-completed survey assessing sexual behaviours and STI acquisition characteristics in the past 12 months. Cross-sectional sex-stratified descriptive statistics are reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 67% (n=1262/1896) reported last sex with a military beneficiary (spouse, n=931, non-spouse service member, n=331). Among those with a sexual partner outside their primary partnership, 24% (n=90/373) reported using a condom the last time they had sex and 30% (n=72/243) reported their outside partner was a service member. In total, 90% (n=210/233) reported acquiring their most recent STI in the USA (88%, n=126/143 among those reporting ≥1 deployments and an STI ≥1 year ago) and a significantly higher proportion (p<0.01) of women than men acquired the STI from their regular partner (54% vs 21%) and/or a service member (50% vs 26%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest a complex sexual network among service members and military beneficiaries. Findings may extend to other mobile civilian and military populations. Data suggest most STI transmission within the shipboard community may occur in local versus foreign ports but analyses from later time points in deployment are needed. These data may inform more effective STI prevention interventions.
authors.affiliation: US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harbertson
authors.affiliation: US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Third Fleet, US Navy, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Third Fleet, US Navy, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: Third Fleet, US Navy, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Third Fleet, US Navy, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thrasher
authors.affiliation: US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Marni B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Bonnie R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Stanley I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McAnany
authors.affiliation: US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Braden R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Hale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS; MILITARY; SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR; SEXUAL NETWORKS