Legal Prostitutes Have HALF the Infection Rate of 'Straight' Population

[emanix]

I have just been reminded by a post of Joreth's, that this tab has been open in my browser for a couple of weeks now: Reuters article on incidence of STIs in prostitutes, swingers and 'straight' population.

Possibly the most poorly titled piece of science journalism EVER.

Take a look at the statistics quoted in the article: "Overall, combined

Comments

[world_rim_walke]

I'd like to see a study comparing infection rates between Netherlands prostitutes and prostitutes elsewhere. I think there's one of the States which has it legalised.

[sunspiral]

Yes, that's Nevada and testing is mandatory for legal prostitutes there.

[purplecthulhu]

There's a further problem with the Reuter's headline which (a) shows their statistical ignorance and (b) probably shows I've been refereeing too many statistical analyses lately...

The article refers to a study involving 9000 consultations. If you're going to try to count things to an accuracy of 1%, ie. 1 in 100, Poisson statistics tell you that you need to count 100^2 of them, ie. 10000. That's assuming no other sources of error which in a study like this are very likely.

This means that statistically there is *no difference at all* in the infection rates of swingers and straight folk. That 0.4% difference is so small as to be meaningless.

[emanix]

Odd, I thought I responded to this. Thanks for adding the extra weight to that part of the argument!

[purplecthulhu]

I've not seen a response until now.

Glad to add weight and hopefully spread a bit of statistical goodness :-)

[awfulhorrid]

One quick word of advice: save your sanity -- don't read the comments on that article. Gah.

[sunspiral]

Note that your lubricant article link isn't working.

[emanix]

Ah, thanks for that. Edited and should be working now.

Re: Catching up again...

[emanix]

Cheers hun, and yes absolutely point anyone you like at this. I keep as many of my posts public as possible, because my goal is to open minds and educate more than to have a personal journal here.

We can also than werenerd for having pointing me at the Reuters article in the first place. :)
xx

(P.S. You're an icon fiend: how totally appropriate was the one I used up there?! :D )

Re: Catching up again...

[melebeth]

I'm glad she pointed me here! I'm totally on the same page with you, although I actually decided not to blog about the study because (if I remember correctly) I found the methodology kind of wonky. I did, however, enjoy screaming at the Reuters writer for hir Crazy Reinterpretation Skillz.