Table 1

Univariable logistic regression model of associated factors/behaviour at the time of testing, stratified by presence of a positive test for a bacterial STI

Bacterial STI
PositiveNegativeOverallOR (95% CI)P value
Overall28151215402
Gender, n (%)
 Female102 (36.3)1854 (36.2)1956 (36.2)Ref.
 Male178 (63.3)3229 (63.1)3229 (63.1)1.0 (0.8 to 1.3)0.988
Missing 1 (0.4)38 (0.7)39 (0.7)
Mean age in years (SD)31.4 (9.3)33.6 (10.0)33.5 (10.0)0.98 (0.96 to 0.99)< 0.001
Sexual orientation and behaviour, n (%)
 Heterosexual man59 (21.0)1790 (35.0)1849 (34.2)Ref.
 Heterosexual woman77 (27.4)1162 (22.7)1239 (22.9)2.0 (1.4 to 2.9)< 0.001
 MSM59 (21.0)594 (11.6)647 (12.5)4.1 (2.9 to 5.8)< 0.001
Other or missing 65 (23.1)1575 (30.8)1640 (30.4)
Paid for sex22 (7.8)517 (10.1)539 (10.0)1.4 (0.9 to 2.3)0.139
Alcohol use for sex37 (13.2)563 (11.0)600 (11.1)1.2 (0.8 to 1.7)0.390
Recreational drugs for sex52 (18.5)386 (7.5)438 (8.1)2.8 (2.0 to 3.8)< 0.001
Condom use with casual sex partners, n (%)
 Always47 (16.7)1236 (24.1)1283 (23.8)Ref.
 Sometimes or never88 (31.3)1459 (28.5)1547 (28.6)1.6 (1.1 to 2.3)0.013
Missing 146 (52.0)2426 (47.4)2572 (47.6)
Previous STIs61 (21.7)584 (11.4)645 (11.9)2.2 (1.6 to 2.9)< 0.001
Use of sex toys69 (24.6)1178 (23.0)1247 (23.1)1.1 (0.8 to 1.4)0.690
Number of sex partners in total in last 12 months, n (%)
 0–249 (17.4)1527 (29.8)1576 (29.2)Ref.
 3–581 (28.8)1376 (26.9)1457 (27.0)1.8 (1.3 to 2.7)0.001
 6 or more partners78 (27.8)756 (14.8)834 (15.4)3.2 (2.2 to 4.7)< 0.001
Missing 73 (26.0) 1462 (28.5) 1535 (28.4)
  • Bacterial STI: chlamydia and/or gonorhoea and/or syphilis positive. If not specified, reference categories for ORs are absence of the characteristic.

  • MSM, men who have sex with men; OR, odds ratio.