SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES IN SWEDISH WOMEN WITH EXPERIENCE OF CASUAL SEX WITH MEN OF FOREIGN NATIONALITIES WITHIN SWEDEN

Background. This study was performed in women who had attended the cli nic for contraceptive advice to determine whether a history of casual sex with a foreign male, previously unknown to them (SFM) in their hom e country (Sweden), constituted an increased risk for acquiring sexual ly transmitted diseases (STD) as compared to women without such an exp erience (COMP). Methods. Of 996 women enrolled, and who were subjected to a structured deep-interview performed by midwives, 595 (59.7%) sla ted that they had experienced casual sex within Sweden with for them a previously unknown Swedish male (SSM). Results. A history of SFM was reported by 120 (12.0%) women. A history of chlamydial infection (26.0 %) and gonorrhea (13.0%) were more common in the SFM women than in eit her the COMP (16.0% and 3.0%) or the SSM (19.0% and 4.0%) groups. Geni tal warts (8.0%) and bacterial vaginosis (23.0%) were found more often in the SFM group as compared to both the COMP (3.0% and 12.0%) and th e SSM (4.0% and 13.0%) group. Women in the SFM group more often had a current genital chlamydial infection (13.0%) than those in the COMP gr oup (8.0%). When adjustment was made for markers of sexual risk taking , only genital warts remained significantly (p=0.05) associated with S FM as compared to both SSM and COMP. Conclusions. To conclude, the stu dy shows that women with experience of SFM had, more often, a history of one or more STDs and were more often carriers of STD agents than th ose lacking experience of SFM and/or SSM. However, there was no such d ifference when comparing the SFM and SSM women when making adjustments for sexual risk behavior. Thus a sexual risky lifestyle is more impor tant than the origin of the sex partner for acquiring STDs with possib le exception of HIV/AIDS in the society studied.