Home-based chlamydia testing of young people attending a music festival--who will pee and post?
BACKGROUND
Chlamydia is most common among young people, but only a small proportion of Australian young people are tested annually. Home-based chlamydia testing has been piloted in several countries to increase testing rates, but uptake has been low. We aimed to identify predictors of uptake of home-based chlamydia testing to inform future testing programs.


METHODS
We offered home-based chlamydia testing kits to participants in a sexual behaviour cross-sectional survey conducted at a music festival in Melbourne, Australia. Those who consented received a testing kit and were asked to return their urine or vaginal swab sample via post.


RESULTS
Nine hundred and two sexually active music festival attendees aged 16-29 completed the survey; 313 (35%) opted to receive chlamydia testing kits, and 67 of 313 (21%) returned a specimen for testing. One participant was infected with chlamydia (1% prevalence). Independent predictors of consenting to receive a testing kit included older age, knowing that chlamydia can make women infertile, reporting more than three lifetime sexual partners and inconsistent condom use. Independent predictors of returning a sample to the laboratory included knowing that chlamydia can be asymptomatic, not having had an STI test in the past six months and not living with parents.


CONCLUSIONS
A low proportion of participants returned their chlamydia test, suggesting that this model is not ideal for reaching young people. Home-based chlamydia testing is most attractive to those who report engaging in sexual risk behaviours and are aware of the often asymptomatic nature and potential sequelae of chlamydia infection.
Sacks-Davis
Rachel
R
Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. jgol4@student.monash.edu.au.
Gold
Judy
J
Aitken
Campbell K
CK
Hellard
Margaret E
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006693:Holidays; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009146:Music; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012648:Self Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014739:Victoria; D055815:Young Adult
D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic