OBJECTIVES: Risk judgements are key factors in adolescents' decisions related to @entity458 . We examine the associations between self-perceived risk and prevalent @entity1047 , and sexual behaviours related to risk perception in a general adolescent population in Norway. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional study among 1028 sexually experienced @entity1 and @entity1 , age 15-20   years (85% participation), including web questionnaires and urine samples for @entity11739 PCR testing. @entity1 rated self-perceived risk as: no/low/medium/high/very high. We used binary and ordinal logistic regressions to examine associations with @entity1047 prevalence and self-perceived risk, respectively, adjusting for potentially confounding variables. RESULTS: Chlamydia prevalence increased with increasing risk perception. Although @entity1 had twice the @entity1047 prevalence of @entity1 (7.3% vs 3.9%), their risk distribution was similar and 65% of both genders rated their risk as no/low with half of infections detected in this group. In multivariable analyses, reporting multiple @entity458 , non-steady relationship, previous @entity1047 testing and treatment, and urogenital symptoms increased self-perceived risk. More @entity1 overestimated their personal risk whereas more @entity1 underestimated it (52% vs 30%, respectively, and 15% vs 31%, p<0.001). The main reasons for perceiving no/low risk were: 'I have a steady partner' and 'I trust my partner will tell me about an infection'. CONCLUSIONS: These sexually experienced adolescents acknowledged their @entity1047 risk, but wrong beliefs were incorporated in their assessments, and more than half had incorrect risk perception. We suggest that sexually transmitted infection prevention programmes should be directed at closing the gap between perceived and actual risk and focus on how context may bias personal judgement.

Self-perceived risk and prevalent XXXX among adolescents in Norway: a population-based cross-sectional study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['girls', 'Participants', 'boys'] @entity1047 :: ('MESH:D002690', 'Disease') :: ['chlamydia infection', 'chlamydia'] @entity458 :: ('MESH:D020018', 'Disease') :: ['sexual risk behaviours', 'sexual health'] @entity11739 :: ('813', 'Species') :: ['Chlamydia trachomatis']
@entity1047 :: (MESH:D002690,Disease) :: ['chlamydia infection']
