title: Self-administered sample collection for screening of sexually transmitted infection among reservation-based American Indian youth.
abstract: American Indians suffer a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted infection, particularly adolescents. Screening access barriers in rural and reservation-based communities necessitate alternatives to clinic-based options. Self-administered screening for three sexually transmitted infections was piloted among 32 American Indian adolescents aged 18 to 19. Participants self-collected in a private location; specimens were processed by trained, American Indian paraprofessionals and analysis was conducted by an outside laboratory. Participants testing positive were treated by a Public Health Nurse from the Indian Health Service. Results suggest high overall acceptability: 69% preferred a self-administered method over clinic-based screening, 75% would encourage their friends to use this method and 100% would use it again. A self-administered screening method has the ability to reach this and other high-risk populations that might not otherwise access screening, with added potential within the Indian Health Services system for uptake and dissemination in rural, reservation communities facing significant screening barriers.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA ltingey1@jhu.edu.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tingey
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Strom
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ranelda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hastings
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rompalo
authors.affiliation: International Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaydos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012648:Self Care; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014481:United States; D016549:United States Indian Health Service; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: American Indians; North America; Sexually transmitted infection; adolescents; chlamydia; diagnosis; gonorrhea; gonorrhoea; screening; trichomoniasis