Abstract:
Background: Sexually transmitted Infections remain a major public health challenge because of
their health consequences, severe complications and sequelae, especially among women who
excessively bear their long-term consequences. STDs can lead to serious health complications and
affect individual’s future reproductive plans and responsible for some 17% of the total burden of
disease.
Objective: To Determine magnitude of STIs and associated factors of clients attending public health
institutions in Shashemene town Administrative West Ethiopia 2015
Methods: An institution based cross sectional study was conducted among clients attending Public
health institutions in the Shashemene town from Jun 13-Feb 13.Data were collected from 380
respondents by using systematic sampling technique with proportional allocation of size employed to
each health institutions. Structured interview questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data was
checked for its completeness and edited, cleaned, coded, entered into the computer using Epi-data
3.1 software and transferred to SPSS-version 16.0 for analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis was
done to explore the data and calculate summary values. Multiple logistic regression analysis was
performed to isolate independent predictors of STDs. P-value < 0.05 under 95% CI was considered
as having significant association with outcome variable.
Results: The prevalence of reported STDs in the past 12 months prior to the survey was found to
be 25.3%. Almost all (98.9%) reported to have heard of STIs and 151 (40.7%) study subjects
reported to use condom once in their life. But only 10% had used condom consistently. 34(27.6%)
study subjects had not got treatments for the recent syndrome they had. While assessing the
independent predictors for acquiring STIs, clients who had sexual intercourse after having alcohol
in the last 12 months (AOR= 3.45; 95%CI:1.28,9.5), clients who had multiple sexual partner in the
last 12 months 3.67(95%CI: 1.16,8.76).Clients who started sexual intercourse before 18 years AOR
2.88(CI, 95 %( 0.27, 10.03). As well, age category and number of sexual partner in the life time
were significantly associated with odds AOR 2.84 (1.62, 4.96) and AOR 95%2.34(1.36, 4.0) of STDs
respectively.
Conclusion: This study shows that attendants reported significant proportion of syndromes of
STIs. Also determinants like Demographic variable age category and risky sexual behaviors like
having multiple sexual partners, sexual intercourse after having alcohol, number of sexual partners
in the last 12 months, age at 1st sexual intercourse were significantly associated with STDs.
Every STD consultation should be opportunity for preventive education including lowering the
number of sexual partners, in order to lower the risk of STD.
