Covid-19 Policies and Sexually Transmitted Infections in 22 US States, January 2020–December 2021

Bibliographic Data

ID11029445
AuthorsCatherine C Pollack (0000-0002-7434-5306, Catherine C. Pollack is with the Decision Systems Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD. Georgia H. Redd and Collin M. Timm are with the Applied Biological Sciences Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Yukari C. Manabe is with the Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.), Georgia H Redd (0009-0005-6860-3638, Catherine C. Pollack is with the Decision Systems Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD. Georgia H. Redd and Collin M. Timm are with the Applied Biological Sciences Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Yukari C. Manabe is with the Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.), Collin M Timm (0000-0002-7804-5044, Catherine C. Pollack is with the Decision Systems Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD. Georgia H. Redd and Collin M. Timm are with the Applied Biological Sciences Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Yukari C. Manabe is with the Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.), Yukari C Manabe (0000-0001-8619-5598, Catherine C. Pollack is with the Decision Systems Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD. Georgia H. Redd and Collin M. Timm are with the Applied Biological Sciences Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Yukari C. Manabe is with the Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.)
Year2025
Volume115
Issue5
Pages789-798
Publication date2025-05-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2024.307957
PMID39982417
OpenAlexW4407839259
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited18

Objectives. To quantify the effects of 5 jurisdiction-level COVID-19 policies on chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis rates in 22 US jurisdictions between January 2020 and December 2021. Methods. We applied a mixed-effects, negative binomial, interrupted time series model to estimate the impact that each policy of interest had on reported cases. Results. Mandatory stay-at-home periods were associated with a decrease in reported chlamydia (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.71, 0.80) and gonorrhea (IRR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.78, 0.94) cases. We also observed decreased chlamydia case reporting when gatherings were restricted to 10 people (IRR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.85, 0.92), masking was recommended (IRR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.85, 0.97), or polymerase chain reaction testing was limited to symptomatic individuals (IRR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.67, 0.77). Universal vaccine access corresponded to decreases in reported gonorrhea (IRR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.75, 0.92) but increases in syphilis (IRR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.70) cases. We also observed effects by sex, race, and ethnicity. Conclusions. COVID-19 policies had disparate effects on sexually transmitted infection rates that varied across demographic groups. Overall results were attenuated after the first lockdown period (March–May 2020), but demographic variations persisted. ( Am J Public Health. 2025;115(5):789–798. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307957 )

Chlamydia · Confidence interval · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Family medicine · Gonorrhea · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) · Public health · Rate ratio · Syphilis · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing · Demography · Immunology · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Reproductive tract infections research

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