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Gap length: an important factor in sexually transmitted disease transmission.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2003; 30(30):221-225.
Kraut-Becher JR, Aral SO.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted disease (STD) transmission may occur if the
time between dissolution and formation of sex partnerships, the gap, is shorter
than mean duration of infectivity of STDs. GOAL: The goal was to examine
gaps reported by a nationally representative sample of reproductive-age women.
STUDY DESIGN: Data on women's sex partnership dynamics were collected from
the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). Gap was defined as the
time between first sex with current/most recent partner and last sex with
previous partner. RESULTS: One third of women reported negative gaps (concurrent
partnerships). Among the women who reported positive gaps (serial monogamy),
more than half switched partners in time periods shorter than the mean infectivity
periods of some bacterial STDs. Adolescents and women with past STD diagnoses
reported shorter gaps than any other group. CONCLUSION: Given that many STDs
are often asymptomatic, short gaps may present a problem if women and their
partners are not routinely screened for STDs.