Testing for Chlamydia in Young Adults in Croatia
Author Information
Author(s): Božičević Ivana, Grgić Ivana, Židovec-Lepej Snježana, Čakalo Jurja-Ivana, Belak-Kovačević Sanja, Štulhofer Aleksandar, Begovac Josip
Primary Institution: WHO Collaborating Centre for Capacity Development in HIV Surveillance; School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Hypothesis
Is it feasible to collect urine samples for testing Chlamydia trachomatis infection among young adults in Croatia?
Conclusion
The study found that population-based surveys can effectively estimate Chlamydia trachomatis prevalence among young adults in Croatia, although response rates for urine sample collection were low.
Supporting Evidence
- 27.9% of men and 37.5% of women who were sexually experienced agreed to provide urine samples.
- The prevalence of C trachomatis infection was 7.3% in men and 5.3% in women.
- Women were significantly more likely to provide urine samples than men.
Takeaway
The study tested young adults in Croatia for a common infection called Chlamydia and found that many were willing to participate, but not enough actually provided samples.
Methodology
Participants were sampled using a nationally representative, multi-stage stratified probability sample, and urine samples were tested for C trachomatis DNA using a real-time PCR assay.
Potential Biases
There is a risk of bias due to the higher likelihood of those with riskier sexual behaviors to provide urine samples.
Limitations
The main limitation was the low response rate for urine specimen collection, which may not accurately represent the true prevalence of Chlamydia.
Participant Demographics
Participants were young adults aged 18-25, with a near-equal distribution of men (50.8%) and women (49.3%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.004
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.14-2.06
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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