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Comparison of STD Burden and Risk Among Men With and Without Regular Doctors Attending a Southern Urban STD Clinic

2003; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 30; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/00007435-200306000-00008

1537-4521

James M. Sizemore, Willa M. Sanders, Phillip C. Lackey, David Ennis, Edward W. Hook,

Behavioral Health and Interventions

In Brief Background Studies addressing health-seeking behaviors among men at risk for STD are few; this study examines how having a regular doctor might influence risk-taking or STD prevalence. Goal The goal was to examine demographic, sexual, and health-seeking characteristics of male STD clinic attendees. Study Design Randomly selected men attending an STD clinic answered a questionnaire regarding the aforementioned characteristics. The men were stratified according to whether they reported having a regular doctor. Results Of 467 men, 32% reported a regular doctor. These men were more likely to be older, to be better educated, and to state they would seek care for a medical problem at a doctor's office. The two groups did not differ in STD history or prostitute exposure; men without doctors were more likely to have urethritis and STD, although the men with doctors had substantial STD rates. Conclusion Public health clinics remain an important safety net for the management of STD, even for men who report a regular doctor. A study of male STD clinic attendees in Birmingham, Alabama, showed that men who reported having a regular doctor had substantial STD rates, although significantly less than the rates among men who reported not having a regular doctor.