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Improving the sexual health of adolescents in a non-clinical setting, Washington, DC, 2011-2013
Methods: To address this issue, we switched laboratory providers (decreasing the turnaround time of results from 7-14 days to 24-48 hours); augmented case management (by further investigating infected students who weren’t interviewed); and maintained a list of untreated students who were eventually re-assigned for additional follow up. To assess the impact of these changes, we analyzed SBSP data pre- and post-implementation.
Results: During the 2011/2012 school year: 5,658 students participated in the SBSP; 3,670 (65%) were tested; 202 (6%) were infected with chlamydia, gonorrhea or both; 162 (80%) were treated; 152 (75%) were interviewed; and 52 partners were elicited. During the 2012/2013 school year: 4,875 students participated; 3,129 (64%) were tested; 190 (6%) were infected; 175 (92%) were treated; 106 (56%) were interviewed; and 53 partners were elicited.
Conclusions: We were able to increase the percentage of infected students treated. And, although the number and percentage of cases interviewed decreased, the ratio of partners elicited per interview increased from 0.34 to 0.50. Normalizing STD testing among asymptomatic youth, treating those identified as infected, and notifying partners to get tested and treated all help improve the sexual health of this vulnerable population.
Learning Areas:
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or controlLearning Objectives:
List 3 reasons why the District of Columbia began their School-based STD Screening Program.
Explain how the School-based STD Screening Program staff were able to increase the percentage of infected students who were treated.
Identify barriers and best practices to providing STD screening to youth within schools.
Keyword(s): Adolescents, School-Based Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have had many years of experience in public health and specifically STD control & prevention. I am one of three School-based STD Screening Program (SBSP) Disease Intervention Specialists in Washington, DC. I was directly involved with increasing the percentage of infected youth who were treated and increasing the number of partners elicited per interview conducted.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.