This survey of sexual practices in the United States has been combed by the media for items of interest to the public: monogamous sex is much more widespread in this country than has been thought; infidelity is less frequent than presumed; vaginal intercourse is the defining experience of heterosexual behavior; watching one's partner undress is stimulating to many people; married couples have more sex than single people (unmarried, cohabiting couples have the most sex of all); the majority of couples experience sex twice a week to several times a month; 2.8% of men identify themselves as homosexual and 1.4% of women do so, but a higher percentage of people consider a same-gender experience to have some appeal; 75% of men always experience orgasm compared with 28.6% of women, but more nearly equal numbers of men and women declare themselves satisfied with their sexual experiences. The book is, in fact, a

The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States

Aims. This paper is a report of a study designed to: (i) describe issues and techniques of translation of standard measures for use in international research; (ii) identify a user-friendly and valid translation method when researchers have limited resources during translation procedure; and (iii) discuss translation issues using data from a pilot study as an example.

Background.  The process of translation is an important part of cross-cultural studies. Cross-cultural researchers are often confronted by the need to translate scales from one language to another and to do this with limited resources.

Method.  The lessons learned from our experience in a pilot study are presented to underline the importance of using appropriate translation procedures. The issues of the back-translation method are discussed to identify strategies to ensure success when translating measures.

Findings.  A combined technique is an appropriate method to maintain the content equivalences between the original and translated instruments in international research. There are several possible combinations of translation techniques. However, there is no gold standard of translation techniques because the research environment (e.g. accessibility and availability of bilingual people) and the research questions are different.

Conclusions.  It is important to use appropriate translation procedures and to employ a combined translation technique based on the research environment and questions.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04242.x

Translation of scales in cross-cultural research: issues and techniques.

Sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis infections are a serious public-health problem. With more than 90 million new cases occurring annually, C. trachomatis is the most common cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Recent progress in elucidating the immunobiology of Chlamydia muridarum infection of mice has helped to guide the interpretation of immunological findings in studies of human C. trachomatis infection and has led to the development of a common model of immunity. In this review, we describe our current understanding of the immune response to infection with Chlamydia spp. and how this information is improving the prospects for development of a vaccine against infection with C. trachomatis.

/pdf/immunology-of-chlamydia-infection-implications-for-a-2obphla5bn.pdf

Immunology of Chlamydia infection: implications for a Chlamydia trachomatis vaccine

WHO estimated that nearly 1 million people become infected every day with any of four curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs): chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Despite their high global incidence, STIs remain a neglected area of research. In this Commission, we have prioritised five areas that represent particular challenges in STI treatment and control. Chlamydia remains the most commonly diagnosed bacterial STI in high-income countries despite widespread testing recommendations, sensitive and specific non-invasive testing techniques, and cheap effective therapy. We discuss the challenges for chlamydia control and evidence to support a shift from the current focus on infection-based screening to improved management of diagnosed cases and of chlamydial morbidity, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is globally recognised. We review current and potential future control and treatment strategies, with a focus on novel antimicrobials. Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal disorder in women, but current treatments are associated with frequent recurrence. Recurrence after treatment might relate to evidence that suggests sexual transmission is integral to the pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis, which has substantial implications for the development of effective management approaches. STIs disproportionately affect low-income and middle-income countries. We review strategies for case management, focusing on point-of-care tests that hold considerable potential for improving STI control. Lastly, STIs in men who have sex with men have increased since the late 1990s. We discuss the contribution of new biomedical HIV prevention strategies and risk compensation. Overall, this Commission aims to enhance the understanding of some of the key challenges facing the field of STIs, and outlines new approaches to improve the clinical management of STIs and public health.

/pdf/sexually-transmitted-infections-challenges-ahead-3thwjasoeo.pdf

Sexually transmitted infections: challenges ahead

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(07)60074-9.pdf

Syphilis in China: results of a national surveillance programme

ContextSexually transmitted diseases are increasing rapidly in China. Surveillance
data imperfectly indicate current prevalence and risk factors.ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of genital chlamydial and gonococcal infections
and to describe patterns of infection by subgroup and behavioral patterns.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsA national stratified probability sample of 3426 Chinese individuals
(1738 women and 1688 men) aged 20 to 64 years, who were interviewed between
August 1999 and August 2000, completed a computer-administered survey, and
provided a urine specimen (69% total participation rate).Main Outcome MeasurePositive test result for chlamydial or gonococcal infections.ResultsThe overall prevalence per 100 population of chlamydial infection was
2.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-4.1) for women and 2.1 (95% CI, 1.3-3.3)
for men. For gonococcal infection, the overall prevalence per 100 population
was 0.08 (95% CI, 0.02-0.4) for women and 0.02 (95% CI, 0.005-0.1) for men.
Risk factors for chlamydial infection among men aged 20 to 44 years were unprotected
sex with a commercial sex worker (odds ratio [OR], 8.24; 95% CI, 3.51-19.35),
less education (OR, 7.20; 95% CI, 2.31-22.37), and recent sex with their spouse
or other steady partner (OR, 7.73; 95% CI, 2.70-22.10). Among women aged 20
to 44 years, risk factors for chlamydial infection were having less education
(OR, 2.82; 95% CI, 1.01-7.91) and living in a city (OR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.67-7.18)
or along the southern coast (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.29-3.63) and having a spouse
or other steady sexual partner who earned a high income (OR, 2.85; 95% CI,
1.11-7.29), who socialized often (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.08-7.19), or who traveled
less than 1 week per year (OR, 5.40; 95% CI, 1.44-20.3).ConclusionsThe prevalence of chlamydial infection in China is substantial. The
patterns of infection suggest potential avenues for intervention.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/196147/JOC30372.pdf

Kwai Hang Ng

Papers

Population-based study of chlamydial infection in China: a hidden epidemic.