Prevalence of BV and associations with sociodemographic and behavioural determinants among adolescent school girls in Mwanza City, Tanzania
| N | BV n (%) | OR (95% CI) | P values | Adjusted OR (95% CI)§ | P values | |
| Total | 386 | 95 (25) | – | – | – | – |
| Sociodemographic factors | ||||||
| Age (years) | ||||||
| 17 | 215 | 55 (26) | 1 | 0.620 | 1 | 0.642 |
| 18 | 171 | 40 (23) | 0.88 (0.56 to 1.42) | 0.89 (0.56 to 1.43) | ||
| SES indicator (possessions)* | ||||||
| Car in household | 24 | 2 (8) | 0.70 (0.49 to 1.01) | 0.054 | 0.71 (0.49 to 1.01) | 0.054 |
| TV, but no car in household | 165 | 39 (24) | – | – | ||
| Cell phone, no car or TV in household | 183 | 49 (27) | – | – | ||
| None of the above | 14 | 5 (36) | – | – | ||
| Lives with | ||||||
| Mother (+/-father/other person) | 245 | 58 (24) | 1 | 0.843 | 1 | 0.564 |
| Father (+/-other person, but not mother) | 24 | 6 (25) | 1.08 (0.41 to 2.83) | 1.13 (0.42 to 3.00) | ||
| Does not live with mother or father | 117 | 31 (26) | 1.16 (0.70 to 1.93) | 1.33 (0.79 to 2.25) | ||
| Behavioural factors | ||||||
| Menstrual hygiene management† | ||||||
| Sanitary pads or towels | 203 | 52 (26) | 1 | 0.719 | 1 | 0.675 |
| Cloth, toilet paper or pants | 179 | 43 (24) | 0.92 (0.58 to 1.46) | 0.90 (0.55 to 1.47) | ||
| Intravaginal cleansing | ||||||
| No cleansing | 328 | 79 (24) | 1 | 0.594 | 1 | 0.565 |
| Using water only | 34 | 8 (24) | 0.97 (0.42 to 2.23) | 0.60 (0.24 to 1.53) | ||
| Using other substances | 24 | 8 (33) | 1.58 (0.65 to 3.82) | 0.91 (0.33 to 2.47) | ||
| Direction of cleaning after defecation | ||||||
| Front to back | 294 | 72 (24) | 1 | 0.921 | 1 | 0.906 |
| Back to front | 92 | 23 (25) | 1.03 (0.60 to 1.77) | 1.04 (0.59 to 1.82) | ||
| Man/boy touched vagina with hands | ||||||
| No | 351 | 81 (23) | 1 | 0.030 | 1 | 0.512 |
| Yes | 35 | 14 (40) | 2.22 (1.08 to 4.57) | 0.73 (0.29 to 1.85) | ||
| Receptive oral sex | ||||||
| No | 377 | 88 (23) | 1 | 0.003 | 1 | 0.028 |
| Yes | 9 | 7 (78) | 11.5 (2.35 to 56.3) | 6.38 (1.22 to 33.4) | ||
| Life-time sexual partners | ||||||
| None | 223 | 42 (19) | 1 | <0.001 | 1 | 0.002 |
| One | 123 | 33 (27) | 1.58 (0.94 to 2.66) | 1.59 (0.93 to 2.71) | ||
| Two or more | 40 | 20 (50) | 4.31 (2.13 to 8.72) | 3.67 (1.75 to 7.72) | ||
| Condom use with latest partner†,‡ | ||||||
| Always | 69 | 19 (28) | 1 | 0.306 | 1 | 0.553 |
| Not always | 91 | 32 (35) | 1.43 (0.72 to 2.82) | 1.25 (0.60 to 2.57) | ||
| Age of first sexual partner†,‡ | ||||||
| <1 year older | 16 | 5 (31) | 1 | 0.350 | 1 | 0.371 |
| 1–2 years older | 31 | 6 (19) | 0.53 (0.13 to 2.10) | 0.44 (0.10 to 1.88) | ||
| 2–3 years older | 30 | 11 (37) | 1.27 (0.35 to 4.64) | 1.22 (0.31 to 4.76) | ||
| 3 or more years older | 64 | 24 (38) | 1.32 (0.41 to 4.26) | 1.07 (0.32 to 3.67) | ||
*SES indicator was fitted as a continuous covariate; the OR of 0.70 estimates the decrease in odds of BV for a one-step increase in SES score.
†Missing data for some participants.
‡Analysis restricted to those who reported having had at least one partner.
§All were adjusted for age and SES; behavioural factors were also adjusted for lifetime sexual partners and oral sex.
BV, bacterial vaginosis (Nugent score ≥7); SES, socioeconomic status.