Opportunistic screening for Chlamydia at a community based contraceptive service for young people.
OBJECTIVE
The suspected high prevalence of Chlamydia infection that is undiagnosed and untreated among high risk women who attend a contraceptive service for young people.


METHODS
Cross sectional study from a community screening service.


METHODS
An inner city contraceptive and psychotherapy service for young people aged 12-21 years. KEY MEASURE FOR IMPROVEMENT: Prevalence of infection commensurate with or above findings from the national screening pilot (13.8% for > 16 year olds, 10.5% for 16-19 year olds, and 7.2% for 20 to 24 year olds).


METHODS
Offering testing (of a first catch urine sample) for Chlamydia to all young people using the contraceptive service who were not previously screened; launching a publicity campaign about the new service; training medical staff and reception staff to deliver the service to maximise take up of screening and of treatment by infected cases; and surveying results from testing to monitor significant patterns of infection requiring further action.


RESULTS
Percentage of clients with infection exceeded targets for each age group, 76% with a positive or equivocal result returned for treatment, 87% of those treated returned for a test of cure, and 99% of tests of cure were negative. Prevention work was initiated in a school with a particularly heavy concentration of infected clients.


CONCLUSIONS
A contraceptive service for young women is a highly acceptable location for effective Chlamydia screening.
Moens
V
V
Brandon Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy for Young People, London NW5 3LG.
Baruch
G
G
Fearon
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002648:Child; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003153:Community Health Services; D003267:Contraception; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects