OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of opportunistic Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) screening of asymptomatic men attending three different secondary healthcare settings and to investigate CT positivity in these settings. METHODS: Men attending fracture, fertility and family planning (FP) clinics were invited to be screened by first-void urine and complete a questionnaire which collected demographic, sexual and behavioural characteristics, and their opinion about the screening process. RESULTS: 1290 men were approached, with 80% participating. The number of men approached, number providing a satisfactory urine specimen and CT positivity rate (95% CI) were, respectively, n = 401, n = 206, 14.6% (10.4 to 20.1) for the FP clinic, n = 505, n = 328, 1.2% (0.5 to 3.2) for the fracture clinic and n = 384, n = 319, 0.3% (0.1 to 1.8) for the fertility clinic. The highest rates of CT infection were found in men attending the FP clinics, aged between 20-24 years. Most of the men from all three clinics felt that the setting (87.9%) and specimen (97.7%) were acceptable. CONCLUSION: Opportunistic chlamydial screening of asymptomatic men in three secondary healthcare settings found high positivity rates, but low uptake rates in a FP setting compared with fertility and fracture clinics. Innovative and targeted intervention strategies are required to engage this high-risk group of men in screening.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of opportunistic Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) screening of asymptomatic men attending three different secondary healthcare settings and to investigate CT positivity in these settings. METHODS:Men attending fracture, fertility and family planning (FP) clinics were invited to be screened by first-void urine and complete a questionnaire which collected demographic, sexual and behavioural characteristics, and their opinion about the screening process. RESULTS: 1290 men were approached, with 80% participating. The number of men approached, number providing a satisfactory urine specimen and CT positivity rate (95% CI) were, respectively, n = 401, n = 206, 14.6% (10.4 to 20.1) for the FP clinic, n = 505, n = 328, 1.2% (0.5 to 3.2) for the fracture clinic and n = 384, n = 319, 0.3% (0.1 to 1.8) for the fertility clinic. The highest rates of CTinfection were found in men attending the FP clinics, aged between 20-24 years. Most of the men from all three clinics felt that the setting (87.9%) and specimen (97.7%) were acceptable. CONCLUSION: Opportunistic chlamydial screening of asymptomatic men in three secondary healthcare settings found high positivity rates, but low uptake rates in a FP setting compared with fertility and fracture clinics. Innovative and targeted intervention strategies are required to engage this high-risk group of men in screening.
Authors: John Macleod; Chris Salisbury; Nicola Low; Anne McCarthy; Jonathan A C Sterne; Aisha Holloway; Rita Patel; Emma Sanford; Andrea Morcom; Paddy Horner; George Davey Smith; Susan Skidmore; Alan Herring; Owen Caul; F D Richard Hobbs; Matthias Egger Journal: BMJ Date: 2005-04-04
Authors: Abiola Senok; Phil Wilson; Margaret Reid; Anne Scoular; Neil Craig; Alex McConnachie; Bridie Fitzpatrick; Alison MacDonald Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2005-03 Impact factor: 3.710
Authors: Chris Salisbury; John Macleod; Matthias Egger; Anne McCarthy; Rita Patel; Aisha Holloway; Fowzia Ibrahim; Jonathan A C Sterne; Paddy Horner; Nicola Low Journal: Br J Gen Pract Date: 2006-02 Impact factor: 5.386