Home screening for chlamydial genital infection: is it acceptable to young men and women? 2000;76:25-7
The arrival of home screening kits for one of the most common sexually acquired infections might not be that far off, suggests research in Sexually Transmitted Infections. The bacterium in question is Chlamydia, infection with which can lead to lifelong infertility, because it is often symptomless and may go undetected for many years.
Over 400 men and women between the ages of 18 and 35 were randomly selected from three urban General Practice lists located in North London and Avon in Somerset. The age band was chosen because the reported prevalence of Chlamydia is highest among 18 to 25 year old women and 18 to 35 year old men. All the men and half of the women were sent a urine test kit; the remainder of the women were sent a vaginal (vulval) swab kit.
More people from Avon than from London participated, with around half of those contacted, responding promptly. Most of these accepted the invitation and returned the sample. Men were as likely as women to take part. The urine test produced a higher participation rate than the vaginal swab among women. Detecting Chlamydia using vaginal swabs is cheaper because they require less processing in the laboratory.
The Department of Health is currently piloting the feasibility of proactive screening for Chlamydia when women see their GP for other reasons. A home screening kit could usefully be included in such a programme, say the authors.
Contact:
Dr Judith Stephenson, Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, University College London. jstephen@gum.ucl.ac.uk
Sexually Transmitted Infections