Risk behaviors and the prevalence of Chlamydia in a juvenile detention facility

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis a sexually transmitted disease, and the association of selected behavioral risk factors were assessed in a pop ulation of adolescents in two juvenile detention facilities. Urine was coll ected for Chlamydia testing and a brief interview conducted for risk and de mographic information. Almost all of the 200 participants were sexually act ive, many before the age of 13 years. The prevalence of Chlamydia infection was 22.2% among female and 8.7% among male participants. Injection drug us e was the only statistically significant variable associated with infection , Education and community services are necessary to break the cycle of infe ction for this high-risk population.