The Current Status of Sexually Transmitted Infections/Reproductive Tract Infections in Vadodara City: Health-care Provider Perspective

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are a major public health problem worldwide, affecting the quality of life and causing serious morbidity and mortality. STIs/RTIs have a direct impact on reproductive and child health through infertility, cancers and pregnancy complications, and they have an indirect impact through their role in facilitating the sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. OBJECTIVES: (1) To estimate the number/proportion of cases of STI/RTI being treated by health-care providers. (2) To document investigations being prescribed for diagnosis. (3) To document treatment protocols being used by health-care providers for STI/RTI management. METHODOLOGY: This was cross-sectional study conducted in Vadodara city. A total of 118 health-care providers were interviewed by using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire regarding the current status of STIs/RTIs, proportion of STIs/RTIs patients, investigation and managements. RESULTS: Proportion of STI/RTI patients out of all outpatient department patients ranges from 1.03% for general practitioners (GPs), 2.86% for skin and venereal disease (VD), and 15% for obstetricians and gynecologists consultants. Use of investigation for the diagnosis of STI/RTI is minimal among obstetricians and gynecologists specialists (29.41%) and GPs (54.55%). Use of guidelines for the management of STI/RTI is not equal across consultants. Guidelines were followed by 67.50% of skin and VD consultants, 32.35% of obstetricians and gynecologists consultants, and 18.18% of GPs. CONCLUSION: There is considerable variation in treatment-seeking and the use of standardized treatment protocols for the management of STI/RTI by the government as well as private providers.