Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114386

Blanche C. Collins, BS, MHSE, CHES, Health Education and Health Promotion, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 209 Mitchell Hall, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI 54601, 608.785.6791, collins.blan@uwlax.edu, Linda Casebeer, PhD, School of Medicine, Continuing Medical Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham, The J.N. Whitaker Building, Suite 406, 500 22nd Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233, Connie L. Kohler, DrPH, Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, RPHB 227, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, and Jeroan Allison, MD, School of Medicine, General Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, FOT 720D, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that, if left untreated in females, can result in long-term reproductive-related health problems including ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Eighty five percent of sexually active females enrolled in a large managed care organization (MCO) were not screened by their primary care physicians for chlamydia. Primary care physicians enrolled in a large national MCO were invited to participate in an online women's health quality improvement opportunity. Physicians were asked questions about their perceptions of sexual activity and chlamydia prevalence. Nearly 60% of participating physicians perceived the sexual activity prevalence of 18 year old females to be at or below 41%, although approximately half of 11th grade females and 60% of 12th grade females are sexually active. The majority of primary care physicians surveyed perceived the chlamydia prevalence in their patient population to be °Ü2% but studies have indicated that untreated chlamydia rates have been found to be as low as 3%. This study found that providers who perceived the chlamydia prevalence in their patient population to be low (°Ü2%) were less likely to work in offices that screen at-risk females aged 16-20 years. The results of this study suggest that an increase in routine screening of sexually active young females for chlamydia may be facilitated with provider education about the chlamydia prevalence in their patient population.

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