title: Importance of physicians in Chlamydia trachomatis control.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During 2002-2006, reported rates of Chlamydia (CT) increased 17.3% nationally, with 43.6% of guideline eligible females screened in 2006. Annual costs associated with CT exceed $1.88 billion. We sought to determine the importance of private medical doctors (PMDs) and hospitals as screening venues in Illinois, USA and if this varied by county Rural-Urban Continuum Code (RUCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of all CT cases reported in Illinois during 2002-2006. Counties were stratified by RUCC and eighteen provider types were condensed into nine venues. Venue positivity rates were derived from laboratory data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PMDs and hospitals reported 247,725 CT cases (33.1% and 25.4%, respectively). Sample positivity rates were 6.2% and 6.1%, comparable to 5.7% for family planning clinics (FPC). Distribution of cases within these venues (and STD clinics) by RUCC was highly significant (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though screening guideline compliance is low, PMDs identify the majority of cases in Illinois and are consistently important screening venues at all levels of urbanization. As PMDs (and/or hospitals) exist in every Illinois county, it may be more efficient to augment screening rates at these venues rather than create new venues of other types which may be cost-ineffective in rural or low-prevalence areas.
authors: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Springfield, IL 62791-9671, USA. wjenkins@siumed.edu
authors: Wiley D
authors: WD
authors: Jenkins
authors: Charlie
authors: C
authors: Rabins
authors: Dhrubajyoti
authors: D
authors: Bhattacharya
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010819:Physician's Role; D011331:Private Practice; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population