Sexually transmitted diseases
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Urinary meatal swabs compared with urine showed higher infection rates for Mycoplasma genitalium (15.3% vs 12.6%, P = 0.035), Chlamydia trachomatis (11.3% vs 9.3%, P = 0.039), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (1.4% vs 1.1%, P = 1.00), Trichomonas vaginalis (8.0% vs 1.7%, P < 0.001), and high-risk human papillomavirus (5.9% vs 3.4%, P = 0.078) respectively.
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We examined the infrastructure for US public sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinical services. ⋯ Findings demonstrate gaps and reductions in US public STD services including clinical services that play an important role in reducing disease transmission. Furthermore, STD clinics tended to offer more specialized STD services than other public clinics.
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In Rhode Island, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has led to over 95% of the state's population being insured. We evaluated insurance coverage and barriers to insurance use among patients presenting for services at the Rhode Island sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic. ⋯ Despite expanded insurance access, many individuals presenting to the Rhode Island STD Clinic were uninsured. Among those who were insured, significant barriers still existed to using insurance. STD clinics continue to play an important role in providing safety-net STD services in states with low uninsured rates. Both public and private insurers are needed to address financial barriers and optimize payment structures for services.
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This study was done to diagnose Mycoplasma genitalium infection based on bacterial load in urine specimens from symptomatic and asymptomatic men. ⋯ This study confirms the high prevalence of M. genitalium among men with urethritis in South Africa and demonstrates that there is a strong association with M. genitalium bacterial load and clinical urethritis. As the number of organisms increased, the severity of the symptoms increased, an indication of the role that the organism plays in disease progression.
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Use of lubricants during anal intercourse is very common among men who have sex with men. However, few studies have evaluated associations between specific lubricants and rectal sexually transmitted infections (STIs). ⋯ Several lubricants were significantly associated with increased prevalence of rectal STI. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine any causal relationship between specific lubricants and STI acquisition.