Anaene M, Soyemi K, Caskey R. Factors associated with the over-treatment and under-treatment of gonorrhea and chlamydia in adolescents presenting to a public hospital emergency department.
Int J Infect Dis 2016;
53:34-38. [PMID:
27771470 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijid.2016.10.009]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) and the rates and factors associated with their over-treatment (OT) and under-treatment (UT).
METHODS
A retrospective chart review was performed of patients aged 13-24 years who were screened for GC/CT in the emergency department (ED) of a public hospital. Descriptive statistics were obtained for all variables, and multivariate log binomial regression was performed to ascertain the factors associated with OT and UT.
RESULTS
Seven hundred and ninety-seven adolescents and young adults were screened for GC/CT. The overall sexually transmitted infection (STI) positivity rate was 21.6%; 136 (21.6%) subjects were over-treated and 74 (43.4%) subjects were under-treated. Patients presenting with STI exposure or genito-urinary symptoms were more likely to be OT. Additionally, females aged 18-19 years or with a prior history of STIs were more likely to be OT. Females (83.6%) were more likely to be UT, while STI exposure, genito-urinary symptoms, and a prior history of STI were protective of UT .
CONCLUSION
Adolescents and young adults screened for STIs have a high prevalence of GC/CT. A significant proportion of these patients end up over-treated and an even higher proportion are under-treated.
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