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Table 3 Associations between variables and HSV2 seropositivity in women, Germany 2008–2011

From: Decreasing seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in Germany leaves many people susceptible to genital infection: time to raise awareness and enhance control

Variables N Weighteda prevalence % (95% CI) Univariable Analysis Multivariable Analysis
PRb (95% CI) p-value PRc (95% CI) p-value
Age group (years)
 18–24 227 2.0 (0.8–4.8) Ref Ref Ref Ref
 25–34 277 7.6 (4.5–12.5) 3.9 (1.4–11.1) 0.012 3.5 (1.2–10.4) 0.021
 35–44 405 11.5 (7.9–16.4) 5.9 (2.3–15.2) 0.000 5.6 (2.1–14.7) 0.001
 45–54 535 16.1 (12.8–20.0) 8.2 (3.2–21.2) 0.000 7.3 (2.7–19.5) 0.000
 55–64 461 15.5 (12.0–19.8) 7.9 (3.3–18.9) 0.000 8.0 (3.1–20.5) 0.000
 65+ 680 12.3 (9.4–15.6) 6.3 (2.4–16.3) 0.000 6.5 (2.5–17.0) 0.000
CASMIN educational classification
 Low 841 10.5 (8.2–13.3) 1.2 (0.7–1.8) 0.522 − −
 Medium 1335 12.6 (10.6–15.0) 1.4 (0.9-2.1) 0.131 − −
 High 392 9.1 (6.3–13.0) Ref Ref − −
Income
 Low 750 10.8 (8.2–14.1) Ref Ref − −
 Medium 1529 11.7 (9.8–13.8) 1.1 (0.8–1.5) 0.652 − −
 High 306 14.5 (10.2–20.2) 1.3 (0.9–2.1) 0.204 − −
Employment situation
 Worker 623 12.4 (9.6–16.0) 1.0 (0.7–1.3) 0.884 − −
 Employee 1174 12.7 (10.5–15.4) Ref Ref − −
 Civil servant 128 14.5 (8.6–23.4) 1.1 (0.7–1.9) 0.623 − −
 Free-lance/self-reliant 174 13.2 (8.3–20.5) 1.0 (0.6–1.7) 0.874 − −
 Family worker 47 5.3 (1.4–18.8) 0.4 (0.1–1.6) 0.202 − −
 Other 96 4.0 (1.4–10.8) 0.3 (0.1–0.9) 0.033 − −
Smoking, currently
 Daily 486 15.2 (11.8–19.2) 1.5 (1.1–2.1) 0.006 1.6 (1.0–2.4) 0.033
 Occasionally 133 8.7 (4.9–15.1) 0.9 (0.5–1.6) 0.673 1.1 (0.5–2.3) 0.847
 No, not anymore 607 13.4 (10.6–16.5) 1.3 (1.0–1.8) 0.031 1.2 (0.9–1.7) 0.226
 Never smoked 1345 9.9 (8.1–12.0) Ref Ref Ref Ref
Number of other children in household during childhood
 0 272 12.5 (8.2–18.6) Ref Ref − −
 1–2 1125 9.6 (8.0–11.6) 0.8 (0.5–1.2) 0.221 − −
  > 2 1188 13.6 (11.1–16.5) 1.1 (0.7–1.7) 0.728 − −
Visit of nursery during childhood
 No 614 14.5 (11.7–17.8) 1.5 (1.1–2.0) 0.008 − −
 Yes 1264 9.7 (7.8–12.0) Ref Ref − −
HSV1 serostatus
 HSV1 seronegative 431 7.3 (4.8–11.1) Ref Ref − −
 HSV1 seropositive 2154 12.6 (10.9–14.5) 1.7 (1.1–2.7) 0.017 − −
Degree of urbanization
 Rural 424 9.6 (6.2–14.6) Ref Ref − −
 Provincial 651 11.3 (8.5–14.7) 1.2 (0.7–2.0) 0.539 − −
 Urban 792 10.1 (8.0–12.7) 1.1 (0.6–1.7) 0.835 − −
 Metropolitan 718 14.4 (11.7–17.7) 1.5 (0.9-2.4) 0.095 − −
Region of residence
 West Germany 1778 10.8 (9.2–12.7) Ref Ref − −
 East Germany (including Berlin) 807 14.6 (11.5–18.4) 1.3 (1.0–1.8) 0.037 − −
German mother tongue
 Yes 2390 11.5 (9.9–13.3) Ref Ref − −
 No 172 10.9 (6.9–16.8) 0.9 (0.8–1.5) 0.825 − −
Number of sexual partners in last 12 months
 None 788 12.7 (10.2–15.7) 1.1 (0.8–1.5) 0.500 − −
 1 1588 11.5 (9.6–13.7) Ref Ref − −
 2–3 116 12.0 (5.3–24.8) 1.0 (0.5–2.3) 0.917 − −
  > 3 17 10.3 (1.4–49.0) 0.9 (0.1–6.2) 0.912 − −
Current use of birth control methodsd
 Yes 740 8.5 (6.3–11.3) Ref Ref − −
 No 1140 14.1 (12.0–16.6) 1.7 (1.2–2.3) 0.003 − −
Which birth control method
 -Contraceptive Pill
  Yes 363 7.0 (4.4–10.8) Ref Ref − −
  No 353 9.6 (6.5–14.0) 1.4 (0.8–2.4) 0.264 − −
 -Condoms
  Yes 217 8.0 (4.7–13.4) Ref Ref − −
  No 499 8.4 (5.7–12.3) 1.0 (0.5–2.1) 0.892 − −
Miscarriage
 None 1504 10.4 (8.5–12.6) Ref Ref − −
 1 or more 424 15.9 (12.1–20.6) 1.5 (1.1–2.1) 0.009 − −
Abortion
 None 1538 10.1 (8.4–12.2) Ref Ref Ref Ref
 1 or more 351 20.1 (15.3–25.9) 2.0 (1.4–2.7) 0.000 1.5 (1.1–2.2) 0.023
  1. In italics: PR is statistically significant (p < 0.05)
  2. aWe used survey weights to account for deviations of the survey sample from the sampling parameters (i.e. age, sex, region, urban/rural region, community size, citizenship and education)
  3. bIf a p-value was <0.2 in the univariable analysis, we included that variable in a stepwise forward variable selection to find a suitable multivariable model
  4. cAdjusted prevalence rates (PR) of variables which stayed in the final model (p-value ≤0.05) are reported
  5. dWomen older than 65 years of age were not asked about their current use of birth control methods
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BMC Infectious Diseases

ISSN: 1471-2334

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