title: Chlamydia trachomatis age-specific prevalence in women who used an internet-based self-screening program compared to women who were screened in family planning clinics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether women who collect self-collected vaginal swabs at home demonstrated a higher positivity of Chlamydia trachomatis than women in family planning clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collection kits for vaginal swabs were internet requested, collected at home, and mailed to a laboratory for testing; questionnaires were completed about acceptability and sexual risk history. Infected women received treatment at participating clinics. Age-specific prevalences were compared to those from family planning clinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chlamydia positivity was 10.3% for 1171 females mailing swabs; prevalences ranged from 3.3% to 5.5% in family planning. Positivity for internet age groups was much higher than those for family planning age groups. The positivity for internet participants ranged from a low of 4.4% in Baltimore in 2005 to a high of 15.2% Baltimore in 2007. Family planning clinic prevalence in Baltimore and Maryland ranged from a low of 3.3% in Baltimore in 2006 to a high of 5.5% in Baltimore in 2008. The median age for all years for internet users in Baltimore and Maryland combined was 23 years; the median age for all years for attendees to family planning clinics who had chlamydia testing performed was 23 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Internet recruited women demonstrated higher positivity of chlamydia than those in family planning, providing new options for chlamydia screening programs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. cgaydos@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Charlotte A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gaydos
authors.forename: Mathilda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Bulbul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aumakhan
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agreda
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whittle
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hogan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D015995:Prevalence; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012648:Self Care; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic