IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON GONORRHEA IN MUANG CHIANGRAI, THAILAND: TWO YEARS REVIEWED
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Abstract
Background Sexual transmitted infections, especially gonorrhea is important health problems globally. In Thailand, the incidence of gonorrhea was 7.35 per 100,000 population in 2005 and increased to 14.74 per 100,000 population in 2018. The highest prevalence in Thailand was Chiangrai (44.73 per 100,000 population). The pandemic of COVID-19 affected people lifestyles and other diseases including gonorrhea.
Objectives (1) To determine the prevalence of gonorrhea (2) To determine the impact of factors on gonorrhea during a COVID-19 pandemic in Chiangrai, Thailand
Methods This study was a cross-sectional study. The data of all patients with gonorrhea in Chiangrai Prachanukroh hospital was collected in the national disease surveillance (report 506) and reported in Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of public health (MOPH).
Prevalence of gonorrhea in 2019 and 2020 will be analyzed and reported by a number of cases per 100,000 population. Data analyses were used descriptive statistics, fisher’s exact probability test, t-test, Kaplan Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. The statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
Results There were 351 cases during two years studied, the prevalence of gonorrhea in 2019 was 78.80 cases per 100,000 population and in 2020 was 61.60 cases per 100,000 population. Average age of the patients each year was 23.04 and 22.72 years old. Most patients were male and student status. The factors that affected on gonorrhea during COVID-19 pandemic were covid-19 pandemic in Thailand (aHR 0.71; 95%CI 0.55,0.91; p 0.006) per COVID-19 cases increasing (aHR 0.99; 95%CI 0.98,0.99; p <0.001) per years increasing of age (aHR 1.03; 95%CI 1.01,1.05; p 0.004) history of previous gonorrhea (aHR 1.38; 95%CI 1.05,1.80; p 0.019) status of student (aHR 1.35; 95%CI 1.03,1.77; p 0.016).
Conclusion AND RECOMMENDATION The prevalence of gonorrhea in Muang Chiangrai was decreased during a COVID-19 pandemic. Gonorrhea was increased in patients who had previous infected with gonorrhea and students during a COVID-19 pandemic. Gonorrhea was a problem in this area that people will be encouraged to recognize and concerning prevention plan in the future.
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