Georgia prenatal care providers' perceptions of barriers to sexually transmitted disease screening.
BACKGROUND
Evidence suggests that sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening during pregnancy is not optimal. No published studies have systematically examined barriers that hinder routine STD screening. This study examines prenatal care providers' perceptions about barriers to routine STD screening of pregnant women.


METHODS
Using a conceptual framework, four a priori barrier categories were developed: provider, patient, organizational, and structural. Responses to a question on barriers to STD screening in a 1998 mail survey of Georgia prenatal care providers were qualitatively classified into one of these categories.


RESULTS
Of the 293 providers who responded, 71% identified structural barriers, with 52% citing inadequate reimbursement. These respondents were most likely to name barriers categorized as structural, not patient, provider, or organization issues.


CONCLUSIONS
Efforts to improve STD screening of pregnant women should include a focus on structural level interventions, such as instituting health care policies that provide adequate reimbursement for routine STD screening during pregnancy.
D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010465:Perception; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*