The Daily Dose
Chlaymydia Screening: Tips and Resources
Untreated chlamydia infections can have devastating effects on a women’s reproductive system and ability to bear children. That is why it is critical that all sexually active women 16 to 24 years of age be educated about the risks and tested yearly via a urinary test.
Screening for chlamydia starts with taking a patient’s sexual history. You can collect this information as part of your patient’s overall medical history during a well or acute care visit, or in the context of a sports, school, or camp physical. To maintain confidentiality, this history should be obtained without a parent present. It may help to explain to parents that it is standard practice to spend a portion of each visit alone with adolescent patients to encourage an open dialogue, and that this practice is not specific to their child.
Alternatively, the patient can complete a questionnaire in advance of the visit. Both the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics offer guidance on the types of questions to ask.
You can also share this chlamydia resource with your patients or their parents to underscore the importance of screening and treatment.
Adele O'Connell About the Author
Adele joined CDPHP in 2004 as an internal communications and event specialist. She then spent eight years coordinating the company’s community relations and corporate events program, in which capacity she worked with a host of non-profit organizations and co-chaired the CDPHP annual Charity of Choice campaign. Currently, she is a communications specialist and coordinator of corporate member engagement and serves on the boards of two local charities. Prior to CDPHP, Adele served as a legislative assistant for a trade association and as an acquisitions and developmental editor, specializing in educational and medical publishing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Rosemont College.
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