%0 Journal Article
%T Quantifying geographical diversity in sexually transmitted infections using population attributable risk: results from HIV prevention trials in South Africa.
%A Wand H
%A Ramjee G
%A Reddy T
%J Int J STD AIDS
%V 32
%N 7
%D 06 2021
%M 33769896
%F 1.456
%R 10.1177/0956462420968998
%X In this study, we investigated spatial diversities of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and quantified their impacts on the STIs using population attributable risk (PAR%). The study population was 7,557 women who participated in several HIV prevention trials from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Our results provide compelling evidence for substantial geographical diversities on STI incidence rates in the region. Their population-level impacts on the STIs exceeded the combined impacts of the individual risk factors considered in this study (PAR%: 41% (<25 years), 52% (25-34 years) and 34% (35+ years). When all these factors are considered together, PAR% was the highest among younger women (PAR%: 67%, 82% and 50% for <25, 25-34 and 35+ years old respectively). Results from our study will bring greater insight into the previous research by increasing our understanding of the impacts of the sub-geographical level variations of STI prevalence and incidence rates in the region.