title: Screening methods for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in sexually transmitted infection clinics: what do patients prefer?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To meet the need for services at sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics, self-obtained vaginal (SOV) swabs or first-catch urine (FCU) samples collected at a clinic visit have been proposed as an alternative approach for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) screening. The purpose of this clinic-based survey was to determine if non-invasive clinic-based SOV swabs and FCU samples for CT and GC screening are acceptable replacements for a traditional provider visit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients seen at STI clinics in three US cities completed a self-administered survey of preferences for methods of CT and GC screening under hypothetical circumstances.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2887 participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that contained multiple-choice questions about their preference. If there was a hypothetical long clinic wait, 58% of the survey participants preferred to wait to see a doctor. If the clinic had to turn patients away, 41% of patients preferred to come back the next business day and 46% preferred to self-collect a sample. The percentages were similar across site, demographic and clinical groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinic-based self-collected specimens for CT and GC screening were not preferred by most patients who participated in this survey. The findings indicate that more detailed information about self-collection practices must be provided for patients to adopt this new approach.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Fujie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Stephanie N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Bradley P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Stoner
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mena
authors.forename: M Jacques
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nsuami
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lillis
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult