title: Home versus clinic-based specimen collection for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
abstract: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health concern that must be addressed with innovative screening methods to supplement traditional approaches. Home-based screening with self-collected urine or vaginal specimens is a highly feasible and acceptable method, and shows promise in improving STI screening rates in both men and women. Home collection kits have been offered in a variety of settings, with results ranging from very modest improvements in screening rates to 100-fold increases beyond the rates observed with clinic-based screening. This article describes and evaluates the effectiveness and limitations of various home screening strategies used for the detection of STIs.
authors.affiliation: Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Campus Box 8219, 4533 Clayton Avenue, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Anna S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Graseck
authors.forename: Shirley L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Jeffrey F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Peipert
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012648:Self Care; D015231:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic