Makella S. Coudray

There is a noted paucity of literature examining non-HIV STIs. Expanded efforts are needed to explore new STI screening options to increase STI testing rates and examine the relationship between the individual, interpersonal and community factors and STI risk. Thus, this study aims to examine STI testing, treatment and prevention preferences.

The purpose of this study is to assess sexual literacy and sexual health outcomes among university students across three continents. Little is known about the social and cultural context in which sexual knowledge, attitudes and behavior of emerging adults are created and negotiated. In order to promote healthy sexual health outcomes this context must be better understood. This study will characterize culture specific sex literacy and its association with sexual health outcomes while performing cross-cultural comparisons. This study will also examine the effect of sexual health knowledge on common sexual health practices among emerging adults.

FIRED UP addresses the ethical considerations of collecting and integrating network data for HIV/STI and drug abuse research among women. It aims to evaluate privacy concerns, assess women’s perspectives on data handling by researchers, and examine the impact of sociopolitical climates on their participation in research. The findings will guide ethical research practices and enhance women’s trust and involvement in HIV/STI and drug abuse research efforts.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal dysbiosis among women of reproductive age. Literature presents discordant findings with respect to the predictors of BV and there is a paucity of literature examining the mechanisms by which multiple episodes of BV occur. This dissertation summarized current literature on BV, identified BV incidence patterns over a twelve-month period, and estimated the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI) among women with episodic and persistent BV. Previously collected randomized clinical trial data were analyzed, where oral metronidazole was the administered treatment. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to assess BV incidence patterns. Multinomial Logistic Regression was used to estimate adjusted Odds Ratios (adjOR) associated with the predictors of BV incidence patterns. Binary Logistic Regression models were used to estimate adjOR associated with STI acquisition among women with persistent BV compared to episodic BV. This study was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.