To date, no study has correlated seasonal differences in
sexual behaviour with the seasonal differences in sexually transmitted
infections (STIs); and no seasonal study of STIs has been conducted in the
southern hemisphere. Our study aimed to describe seasonal differences in sexual
behaviour and correlate this with seasonal differences in STI diagnoses in
Melbourne, Australia.
This was a cross-sectional study of individuals attending
the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre over a 9-year period from 2006 to 2014. We
conducted separate analyses for men who have sex with men (MSM) and men who
have sex with women (MSW), and women. Seasonal patterns of sexual behaviour and
STI positivity were examined within each group.
All groups reported a higher number of partners over the
preceding three months for consultations in summer compared with winter (MSM
mean 5.48 vs 5.03; MSW mean 2.46 vs 2.31; women mean 1.83 vs 1.72). Urethral
gonorrhoea diagnoses among MSM were higher in summer compared with winter (OR
1.23, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.46). Similarly, non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU)
diagnoses among MSW were the highest in summer (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.20),
but there was no seasonal difference in NGU diagnoses when we adjusted for
partner numbers. In women, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) diagnoses peaked
in autumn, when rates were higher than in winter (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.55).
Our results describe a peak in sexual partner number and STI
diagnoses during consultations in summer in men and a rise in PID in autumn in
women.
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By:
- 1Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
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