Surveillance of community genital Chlamydia trachomatis testing in the East of England, 2008-2010.
BACKGROUND
Widespread testing for chlamydia is expected to result in a reduction in prevalence. In 2008, coverage indicators introduced by the Department of Health (DH) required collection and submission of all tests performed outside of genitourinary medicine clinics. No mechanism existed to collect community-based tests conducted outside of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. The Health Protection Agency Regional Epidemiology Unit in the East of England (EoE) set up a new system to routinely collect and submit these tests on behalf of the regional Primary Care Organizations (PCOs).


METHODS
Testing data were requested from all laboratories commissioned to undertake chlamydia testing by EoE PCOs. Data were imported into a bespoke Structured Query Language server database and automated data processing routines were run. Data fulfilling national criteria were submitted for inclusion in the DH indicators.


RESULTS
High-quality data were submitted to set deadlines with minimum impact on laboratories. Completeness of data variables varied by laboratory and by variable type. After complex data processing, 96% of laboratory reported tests in the 15-24 year age range were eligible for submission.


CONCLUSIONS
This centralized method of data collection provides high-quality data, allowing for further analysis, which can be used to inform improvements in health care. These methods could be transferred to any of the hundreds of organisms for which similar laboratory data exist.
HPA East of England Regional Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Public Health, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR, UK. charles.jennison@hpa.org.uk
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Jennison
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Roddick
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Deas
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Emmett
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Bracebridge
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052801:Male Urogenital Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011320:Primary Health Care; D055815:Young Adult