Risk factors for sexually transmitted infections in women in rural Northeast Brazil.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are highly prevalent in northeast Brazil, but factors associated with the presence of an STI have rarely been studied systematically.

Methodology: We performed a population-based study to assess factors associated with STIs in women of reproductive age (12 to 49 years) in a rural setting in northeast Brazil. A total of 734 women were eligible; 592 (80.