Baseline sociodemographic, behavioural and clinical characteristics of study participants (n=400)
| Characteristic | n (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographic background | ||
| Resides in rural area | 238 | (59.5) |
| Length of stay in current residence | ||
| ≤2 years | 160 | (40.0) |
| >2 and ≤10 years | 133 | (28.3) |
| >10 years | 127 | (31.8) |
| Region of origin | ||
| Sepik | 44 | (11.0) |
| Madang/Morobe | 229 | (57.3) |
| Highlands | 35 | (8.8) |
| Islands | 14 | (3.5) |
| Mixed PNG | 78 | (19.5) |
| Education | ||
| None | 21 | (5.3) |
| Primary (1–6) | 138 | (34.5) |
| Secondary (7–12) | 214 | (53.5) |
| Tertiary | 27 | (6.8) |
| Married/living with partner | 364 | (91.0) |
| Employment status | ||
| None | 181 | (45.3) |
| Subsistence farmer | 109 | (27.3) |
| Self-employed | 47 | (11.8) |
| Wage earner | 63 | (15.8) |
| Chews betel nut | 335 | (83.8) |
| Smoker | 87 | (21.8) |
| Takes alcohol | 25 | (6.3) |
| Partner smokes | 302 | (75.5) |
| Partner takes alcohol | 327 | (81.8) |
| Reproductive history | ||
| Number of pregnancies (including current) | ||
| 1 | 194 | (48.5) |
| 2–4 | 176 | 44.0) |
| ≥5 | 30 | (7.5) |
| Current pregnancy planned (n=397) | 288 | (72.5) |
| Age at sexual debut | ||
| ≤16 years | 57 | (14.3) |
| 17–20 years | 213 | (53.2) |
| 21–25 years | 104 | (26.0) |
| >25 years | 26 | (6.5) |
| Ever visited health clinic for suspicion of STI (n=399) | 57 | (14.3) |
| Sexual behaviour | ||
| Approached for commercial sex in the past (n=399) | 38 | (9.5) |
| Perceives father of current pregnancy at risk of STI (n=397) | 133 | (33.5) |
| Ever used condoms (since sexual debut) | 85 | (21.3) |
| Reported extramarital sex since conception (n=398) | 83 | (20.9) |
| Knowledge of current partner having extramarital sex (n=397) | 90 | (22.7) |
| Symptoms* | ||
| Lower abdominal pain (n=398) | 192 | (48.2) |
| Vulval/perianal itching | 143 | (35.8) |
| Pain passing urine | 128 | (32.0) |
| Pain or discomfort during vaginal sex | 111 | (27.8) |
| Vaginal discharge (abnormal smell) | 88 | (22.0) |
| Vaginal discharge (abnormal quantity and/or colour) | 81 | (20.3) |
| Abnormal vaginal discharge† | 106 | (26.5) |
| Any symptom (≥1 of the above) | 284 | (71.1) |
| No symptoms at all | 116 | (29.0) |
| Syndromic diagnosis of vaginal discharge syndrome made and treatment received | 106 | (26.5) |
*Symptoms experienced since woman aware of being pregnant.
†Vaginal discharge that had an abnormality of ≥1 of the following: smell, quantity, colour.
PNG, Papua New Guinea; STI, sexually transmitted infection.