Access to health services and sexually transmitted infections in a cohort of relocating African American public housing residents: an association between travel time and infection.
Sex Transm Dis
; 39(2): 116-21, 2012 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22249300
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
High incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in blacks have been attributed to multiple factors. However, few articles have discussed spatial access to healthcare as a driver of disparities. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the relationship between travel time to a healthcare provider and the likelihood of testing positive for 1 of 3 STIs in a sample of adults living in public housing.METHODS:
One hundred and eight black adults in Atlanta, GA from November 2008 to June 2009, completed a survey that queried sexual behavior and healthcare use and had urine tested for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis by molecular methods. Travel time was a continuous variable capturing the number of minutes it took to reach the place where participants received most of their care. Multivariate analyses tested the hypothesis that individuals reporting longer travel times would be more likely to test positive for an STI. Travel time was squared to linearize its relationship to the outcome.RESULTS:
Thirty-six residents (37.5%) tested positive for ≥1 STI. A curvilinear relationship existed between travel time and STI status. When travel time was <48 minutes, a positive relationship existed between travel time and the odds of testing positive for an STI. An inverse relationship existed when travel time was ≥48 minutes.CONCLUSION:
Residents of impoverished communities experience a curvilinear relationship between travel time and STI status. We discuss possible factors that might have created this curvilinear relationship, including voluntary social isolation.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Habitação Popular
/
Comportamento Sexual
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Vaginite por Trichomonas
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Negro ou Afro-Americano
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Infecções por Chlamydia
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Gonorreia
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Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
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Incidence_studies
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Observational_studies
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Prevalence_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Sex Transm Dis
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos