Sexual Health

STI (GUM) data

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Introduction

Key points from the latest release (published July 2008)

Interpretation

Excel tables/charts

Diagnostic codes and groupings

Other related reports

Introduction

Data on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) diagnosed in Scottish Genito-urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics have been continuously collected since 1922. There have been several revisions to the data gathered and the way that this has been collected over time, with the latest revision being April 2004. That revision allowed more detailed information on screening and HIV testing to be collected (see notes under interpretation).

It should be stressed that the data in this publication are for STIs diagnosed in Scottish GUM clinics only, and therefore do not give the complete picture. Health Protection Scotland (HPS) publish quarterly and annual returns on labratory data for four of the main STIs - chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and genital herpes. HPS figures show that more than 50% of chlamydia is now diagnosed outwith GUM clinics. This is not so apparent in the other three conditions, with the total number of diagnoses being similar in both GUM and laboratory datasets.

Key points

This latest release presents data on STIs and other activity in GUM clinics for 2007.

There was a 13% increase in the overall workload (all diagnoses, consultations, screens and conditions seen) in GUM clinics in Scotland in 2007.
In 2007, the number of acute STIs diagnosed in GUM clinics in Scotland was 22,906. This is an increase of 7% since 2006, when there were 21,461 diagnoses made, and a 110% increase since 1996, when there were 10,919 diagnoses of acute STIs.
In 2007, as seen in previous years, more new acute STIs were in men, with the number of diagnoses of syphilis, gonorrhoea, genital warts, NSGI (non-specific genital infection), non-chlamydial, HIV and other STIs being higher in men than women. The number of diagnoses of chlamydia, genital herpes and trichomoniasis was greater in women.

A more detailed report, including analyses based on amalgamated GUM and laboratory data together with more specialised data relating to HIV and other areas of sexual health, is to be published at the end of November. This will be available on ISD's website.

Interpretation

Data included in these tables are submitted by GUM clinics using the web-based STI Surveillance System (STISS) which was phased in during 2004 and replaced the ISD(D)5 system.

In 2005 a mandatory service code was introduced to each record. These provide a more accurate picture of screening services offered to each patient when they first attend a Scottish GUM clinic. These new service codes replace those previously used for recording a negative STI/HIV test. Some records will now only show a service code, whereas in the past a non-specific diagnostic code would have been recorded. This change should be borne in mind when examining trends in workload, particularly when considering activities, which are not related to specific sexually transmitted infections. In addition to this some new STI diagnostic codes were introduced and some of the coding groupings were modified. These new groupings were applied retrospectively so there may be some inconsistencies with previously published data.

For the years 2001-2003 a few clinics were unable to submit a small amount of data. This 'missing' data has been imputed and therefore, some of the NHS Board data for this period may be slightly inaccurate, but the overall effect on the national data should be negligable.

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Excel Tables and Charts (published July 08)

The data contained in the tables and charts relate either to patient episodes or to diagnoses given. It is possible for more than one diagnosis to be reported for any single patient episode. Tables/charts which relate to patient episodes are annotated accordingly.

Latest Tables link to a microsoft excel file

Table 1a- Acute STIs by diagnostic group and gender, numbers
Table 1b - Acute STIs by diagnostic group and gender, rate per 100,000 population
Table 2- All diagoses by diagnostic group and gender
Table 3- All STIs by diagnostic group, age group and gender
Table 4a- All diagnoses by diagnostic group, gender and NHS Board of residence, numbers
Table 4b- All diagnoses by diagnostic group, gender and NHS Board of residence, rate per 100,000 population
Table 5 - Location acquired for selected diagnostic groups by gender and NHS Board of treatment
Table 6 - Source of referral for new episodes by clinic of treatment
Table 7 - New episodes by clinic of treatment and NHS Board of residence

Latest Charts link to a microsoft excel file

Chart 1 - New diagnoses of gonorrhoea by age and gender
Chart 2- New diagnoses of chlamydia by age and gender
Chart 3 - New diagnoses of genital herpes by age and gender
Chart 4 - New diagnoses of genital warts by age and gender
Chart 5 - New diagnose of gonorrhoea by gender
Chart 6 - New diagnose of chlamydia by gender
Chart 7 - New diagnose of genital herpes, first attack by gender
Chart 8 - New diagnose of genital warts, first episode by gender