Table 1 Characteristics and laboratory findings of enrolled participants in Cape Coast, Ghana
VARIABLES | HIV-1 seropositive (NÂ =Â 163) | HIV seronegative (NÂ =Â 170) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
n (%), or mean/median (SD or IQR) | n (%), or mean/median (SD or IQR) | ||
Age, years | Â | Â | 0.03 |
 Mean (SD) | 43.8 (9.4) | 44.3 (12.8) |  |
  ≤ 29 | 11 (6.8) | 21 (12.4) |  |
 30–59 | 142 (87.1) | 129 (75.9) |  |
  > 60 | 10 (6.1) | 20 (11.8) |  |
Marital status | Â | Â | <0.0001 |
 Currently with a regular sexual partner | 70 (42.9) | 126 (74.1) |  |
 Currently without a regular sexual partner | 93 (57.1) | 44 (25.9) |  |
Education | Â | Â | <0.0001 |
 No formal education | 40 (24.5) | 28 (16.5) |  |
 Up to secondary school level | 117 (71.8) | 75 (44.1) |  |
 Tertiary level | 6 (3.7) | 67 (39.4) |  |
Employment | Â | Â | <0.0001 |
 Unemployed | 14 (8.6) | 14 (8.2) |  |
 Unskilled occupation | 137 (84.1) | 89 (52.4) |  |
 Skilled occupation | 12 (7.4) | 67 (39.4) |  |
Age at first sex, years Categorical | Â | Â | 0.16 |
 Median (IQR) | 18 (17–20) | 19 (18–21) |  |
  ≤ 15 | 7 (4.3) | 6 (3.5) |  |
 16–20 | 127 (77.9) | 119 (70.0) |  |
  ≥ 21 | 29 (17.8) | 45 (26.5) |  |
Lifetime no. sexual partners | Â | Â | 0.004 |
 Median | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–3) |  |
 1 | 11 (6.8) | 31 (18.2) |  |
 2–5 | 139 (85.3) | 131 (77.1) |  |
  > 5 | 13 (8.0) | 8 (4.7) |  |
Circumcision main/current partner | Â | Â | 0.90 |
 Circumcised | 153 (93.9) | 159 (93.5) |  |
 Not circumcised | 10 (6.1) | 11 (6.5) |  |
Smoking | Â | Â | 0.09 |
 Ever/Current | 5 (3.1) | 1 (0.6) |  |
 Never smoked | 158 (96.9) | 169 (99.4) |  |
Hormonal contraception | Â | Â | 0.57 |
 Ever/Current | 64 (39.3) | 72 (42.4) |  |
 Never used | 99 (60.7) | 98 (57.6) |  |
Cytology | Â | Â | <0.0001 |
 Normal | 140 (85.9) | 168 (98.8) | <0.0001 |
 ASCUS | 12 (7.4) | 1 (0.6) | 0.001 |
 LSIL | 8 (4.9) | 1 (0.6) | 0.02 |
 HSIL/ASC-H | 3 (1.8) | 0 (0) | 0.07 |
HPV DNA | 120/160 (75.0) | 72/169 (42.6) | <0.0001 |