P114 Differences in Chlamydia Positivity Among Asian and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander Women Age 15-24 in Family Planning Clinics in Regions IX and X, 2008

Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Pre-Function Lobby & Grand Ballroom D2/E (M4) (Omni Hotel)
Wendy Nakatsukasa-Ono, MPH1, David Fine, PhD1, David Herzstein Couch, AB2 and Patricia A. Blackburn, MPH3, 1Center for Health Training, Seattle, WA, 2Center for Health Training, Oakland, CA, 3Region IX Infertility Prevention Project, Center for Health Training, Oakland, CA

Background: At the 2008 NSTDP Conference, the Region X Infertility Prevention Project (IPP) presented findings on chlamydia positivity (CT+) among Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) female clients age 15-24 in Region X IPP family planning (FP) clinics, 2000-2006. Racial differences in CT+ were significant and confirmed the importance of expanding this type of assessment, particularly in regions such as IX in which Asian and NHOPI communities are most prevalent.

Objectives: Describe the epidemiology of and risk factors for CT among Asian and NHOPI female clients age 15-24 screened in Region IX and X FP clinics in 2008.

Methods: We analyzed CT + among non-Hispanic (NH) white, Asian and NHOPI female FP clients age 15-24 in Regions IX and X, 2008. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.

Results: Of the 78,545 tests, 25% were Region IX. Overall, 87.9% were NH white, 7.6% Asian and 4.5% NHOPI. Nearly 60% were age 15-19. In Region IX, CT+ was 6.2% among NH white, 7.6% among Asian, and 12.0% among NHOPI. In Region X, CT+ was 5.9% among NH white, 6.1% among Asian and 10.2% among NHOPI. Age trends were similar for both Region IX and X, with the highest CT+ among clients age 15-19.

Conclusions: Asian and NHOPI women in FP clinics in Regions IX and X had consistently higher CT+ than NH whites. NHOPI clients had the highest levels of CT by age and region. Both Asian and NHOPI women had higher levels of CT+, even after adjusting for a range of demographic, behavioral and other factors.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and/or Research: Findings confirm the importance of assessing CT+ separately for Asian and NHOPI women. They also support the need for better assessment of individual and community-level factors among Asian and NHOPI women--including acculturation/generational issues--and support current interest in the role of sexual network dynamics.

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