Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38704552›Full record

Observational studyBMC primary care2024

Sexually transmitted infections, the epidemic that persists after the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of the primary care electronic health records covering about 5 million people in Catalonia.

Carolina Guiriguet, Mireia Alberny, Núria Mora, Oriol Rebagliato, Carme Roca, Francesc Fina, Mireia Fàbregas, Mència Benítez, Mariam de la Poza, Manuel Medina and 4 more

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC primary care, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Carolina GuiriguetPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain. cguiriguet.bnm.ics@gencat.cat.ORCID 0000-0003-1201-6248
Mireia AlbernyMedical Management of Primary Care Services, STI/HIV Area, Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Barcelona, Spain.
Núria MoraPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain.
Oriol RebagliatoGotic Primary Care Centre, Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Barcelona, Spain.
Carme RocaEl Clot Primary Care Centre, Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-2562-5405
Francesc FinaPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-7106-5635
Mireia FàbregasPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-7359-1986
Mència BenítezPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain.
Mariam de la PozaUniversity of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-5993-1596
Manuel MedinaPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain.
Souhel FlayehPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain.
David PedrazasGotic Primary Care Centre, Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Barcelona, Spain.
Montserrat SabatésGotic Primary Care Centre, Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Barcelona, Spain.
Ermengol ComaPrimary Care Services Information Systems (SISAP), Institut Català de La Salut (ICS), Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes, 587. 08007, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-8000-3321

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe aim of our study is to analyse the trends in the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsWe conducted an observational retrospective population-based study using data from primary care electronic health records spanning from January 2016 to December 2022 (involving 5.1 million people older than 14 years). We described the daily number of new STI diagnoses from 2016 to 2022; as well as the monthly accumulation of new STI diagnoses for each year. We compared the monthly averages of new diagnoses in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 using the T-test. Finally, we performed a segmented regression analysis of the daily number of STI diagnoses.

resultsWe analysed 200,676 new STI diagnoses. The number of diagnoses abruptly decreased coinciding with the lockdown. Overall in 2020, we observed a reduction of 15%, with higher reductions for specific STIs such as gonorrhoea (-21%), chlamydia (-24%), and HIV (-31%) compared to 2019. Following this drastic drop, which was temporarily associated with the lockdown, we observed a rapid rebound. In 2021, the number of STI diagnoses was similar to that of 2019. Notably, we found a considerable increase in 2022, particularly for non-specific STI, which lack laboratory confirmation (67% increase). HIV was the only STI with a reduction of up to -38% in diagnoses at the end of 2022 compared to 2019.

conclusionsAfter a significant reduction in 2020, the number of STIs recorded in primary care rapidly rebounded, and the current trend is similar to that of 2019, except for HIV. These findings underscore the dynamic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on STI diagnoses and highlight the importance of ongoing monitoring and public health interventions in the post-pandemic period.

Indexed as

COVID-19Electronic Health RecordsPrimary Health CareSexually Transmitted DiseasesAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2SpainYoung AdultCovid-19EpidemiologyPrimary careSexually transmitted diseases

Identifiers

PMID38704552
PMCPMC11069189

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.