Resumen de Fully Integrated e-Services for Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections: Results of a 4-County Study in California.
Freya Spielberg, Vivian Levy, Shelly Lensing, Ishita Chattopadhyay, Lalitha Venkatasubramanian, Nincoshka Acevedo, Peter Wolff, Debra Callabresi, Susan Philip, Teresa P. Lopez, Nancy Padian, Diane R. Blake, Charlotte A. Gaydos
Objectives. We examined the acceptability, feasibility, and cost of a fully integrated online system (eSTI) for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, treatment, and linkage to care with 4 Northern California health departments. Methods. In April 2012, we implemented the eSTI system, which provided education; testing of self-collected vaginal swabs for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis; e-prescriptions; e-partner notification; and data integration with clinic electronic health records. We analyzed feasibility, acceptability, and cost measures. Results. During a 3-month period, 217 women aged 18 to 30 years enrolled; 67% returned the kit. Of these, 92% viewed their results online. STI prevalence was 5.6% (chlamydia and trichomoniasis). All participants with STIs received treatment either the same day at a pharmacy (62%) or within 7 days at a clinic (38%). Among participants completing follow-up surveys, 99% would recommend the online eSTI system to a friend, and 95% preferred it over clinic-based testing within a study. Conclusions. The fully integrated eSTI system has the potential to increase diagnosis and treatment of STIs with higher patient satisfaction at a potentially lower cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
