Population-based interventions for reducing sexually transmitted infections including HIV

Population-based interventions may have a limited effect on the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI), but little effect on HIV incidence.

A Cochrane review included 4 trials. Any intervention vs control demonstrated no statistically significant effect on HIV incidence (0.97, 95% CI 0.78 - 1.2; 4 trials, n=23 981). Combining the mass treatment trial and one of the STI management trials, a significant reduction in the prevalence of syphilis for those receiving a biomedical STI intervention (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80 - 0.96), and for gonorrhoea (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.31 - 0.77) was shown. Finally, for chlamydia, we found no significant difference between any biomedical intervention and control (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.77 - 1.4).

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison) and by indirectness (differences in studied settings and reported outcomes).

Ədəbiyyat

1. Sangani P, Rutherford G, Wilkinson D. Population-based interventions for reducing sexually transmitted infections, including HIV infection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;(2):CD001220 [Review content assessed as up-to-date: 14 February 2011].