title: Chlamydia screening and positivity in juvenile detention centers, United States, 2009-2011.
abstract: An estimated 2.9 million new chlamydia infections occur in the United States each year. Among women, chlamydia can lead to serious adverse outcomes, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Chlamydia prevalence is highest among females aged 15-19 years. Despite long-standing recommendations directed at young, sexually active females, screening remains sub-optimal. Juvenile detention centers (JDCs) are uniquely situated to screen and treat high-risk adolescents. From 2009-2011, performance measure data on chlamydia screening coverage (proportion of eligible females screened) and positivity (proportion of females tested who were positive) were available from 126 geographically-dispersed JDCs in the United States. These facilities reported screening 55.2% of females entering the facilities (149,923), with a facility-specific median of 66.4% (range: 0-100%). Almost half (44.4%) of facilities had screening coverage levels of 75-100%. This screening resulted in the detection of 12,305 chlamydial infections, for an overall positivity of 14.7% (facility-specific median = 14.9%, range: 0-36.9%). In linear regression analysis, chlamydia positivity was inversely associated with screening coverage: as coverage increased, positivity decreased. The burden of chlamydia in JDCs is substantial; facilities should continue to deliver recommended chlamydia screening and treatment to females and identify mechanisms to increase coverage.
authors.affiliation: a Division of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis , STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta , Georgia , USA.
authors.forename: Catherine Lindsey
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Satterwhite
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Dayne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torrone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002689:Chlamydia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners; D011330:Prisons; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: chlamydia; juvenile detention centers; positivity; prevention; screening