title: A Swedish cost-effectiveness analysis of community-based Chlamydia trachomatis PCR testing of postal urine specimens obtained at home.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A study was undertaken to assess the cost-effectiveness of identifying and treating asymptomatic carriers of Chlamydia trachomatis when using community-based testing of urine specimens obtained at home and mailed to a central laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 100 males and 100 females aged 20-24 living in Umeå were randomly sampled from the population registry. A societal cost-effective analysis was carried out, based on screening and medical care costs in Sweden.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a participation rate of 55% (45% males and 65% females), the female screening became cost-saving as the C. trachomatis prevalence exceeded 5.1%, and the male screening became cost-saving with over 12.3% prevalence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postal screening for C. trachomatis in an asymptomatic young population can be cost-effective only at prevalences higher than at present.
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, University of Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Roger B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Karlsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011177:Postal Service; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013548:Sweden; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data