The pattern of notification and testing for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Victoria, 1998-2000: an ecological analysis.

Objective: This ecological study analyses routinely collected chlamydia notification and testing data to investigate any patterns.

Methods: Age and sex-specific chlamydia notification and testing rates for Victoria were calculated for the period 1998 to 2000.

Results: Chlamydia notification and testing rates rose between 1998 and 2000. Notification rates were higher among women aged 15 to 24 years than men of the same age (p < 0.01) and higher among 25 to 44-year-olds living in metropolitan rather than rural/regional Victoria (p < 0.01). Testing rates were higher for women than men (p < 0.01) and higher in metropolitan rather than rural/regional areas (p < 0.01) in all groups except women aged 15-24 years.

Conclusions: These increasing rates highlight that chlamydia infection represents a substantial public health problem.

Implications: Although these data provide useful information showing these rates vary with age and sex, formal epidemiological prevalence and risk factor studies are required.