Abstract:
The fact that a significant proportion of patients who seek treatment at the Clinic for
sexually transmitted Diseases (STD) tend to present relatively late, has been an observed
clinical impression for a considerable length of time. A relatively long period of time
between the onset of symptoms and the time of presentation could not only lead to further
complications from the disease itself. but also to further spread of the disease through
sexual practices during this time. This project was initiated to investigate the reasons, (f any,
for delay in the presentation of patients al the Central Clinic for STDs of General Hospital
Colombo. There were no statistically significant differences in sex, race, religion and
ethnicity, heru1een the late and early attendee groups. unmarried females presented late in
significant numbers hut otherwise, the marital status seemed to have little influence in the
time of presentation, especially in males. Significant numbers of females from Gampaha
presented early and those from Puttalam presented late. Assessment of the educational level
showed very clearly that those with lower levels of education, among both males and
females, presented late.
