Novel approach to an effective community-based chlamydia screening program within the routine operation of a primary healthcare service.
BACKGROUND
A prospective study was undertaken to develop an evidence-based outreach chlamydia screening program and to assess the viability and efficiency of this complementary approach to chlamydia testing within the routine operations of a primary healthcare service.


METHODS
A primary healthcare service based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, identified high-prevalence groups for chlamydia in the community. Subsequently, a series of outreach clinics were established and conducted between August 2004 and November 2005 at a defence force unit, a university, high school leavers' festivities, a high school catering for Indigenous students, youth service programs, and backpacker accommodations.


RESULTS
All target groups were easily accessible and yielded high participation. Chlamydia prevalence ranged between 5 and 15% for five of the six groups; high school leavers had no chlamydia. All participants were notified of their results and all positive cases were treated (median treatment interval 7 days). Five of the six assessed groups were identified as viable for screening and form the basis for the ongoing outreach chlamydia screening program.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study developed an evidence-based outreach chlamydia screening program and demonstrated its viability as a complementary approach to chlamydia testing within the routine operations of the primary healthcare service, i.e. without the need for additional funding. It contributes to the evidence base necessary for a viable and efficient chlamydia management program. Although the presented particulars may not be directly transferable to other communities or health systems, the general two-step approach of identifying local high-risk populations and then collaborating with community groups to access these populations is.
Buhrer-Skinner
Monika
M
Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia. monika.buhrerskinner@jcu.edu.au
Muller
Reinhold
R
Menon
Arun
A
Gordon
Rose
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019058:Community Networks; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult