ATLANTA – Educating patients treated for chlamydia or gonorrhea about reinfection and retesting, and providing customized options for follow-up care, increased patient retest return rates by 15% in a prospective cohort study.
The return rate at 1-6 months after treatment among 1,454 patients who received enhanced educational information about reinfection and the importance of retesting during the first phase of the InTOUCH study was 59%, and the return rate among 575 patients who received that educational information along with customized reminders and/or a mailed-in home testing kit in a second phase was 62%, compared with a return rate of 54% among 2,696 historical controls, Holly Howard reported at a conference on STD prevention sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The increases in return rates were statistically significant, said Ms. Howard of the California Department of Public Health, Richmond.
The initial education phase of the multicenter study occurred in 2010 and 2011 at six geographically diverse California Title X clinics. Participants were clients of the California Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment Program, which provides care to more than 2 million low-income women each year.
The patients were counseled about the risks and dangers of re-infection and the importance of retesting, and were given tips for remembering to return for retesting. Additionally, educational materials were updated to improve readability and user friendliness.
During 2011 and 2012, patients from the educational phase who tested positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, and who were treated for the infections, were officially enrolled in the second phase of the study, during which they were offered the option of receiving retest reminders via postcard, text, and/or e-mail, as well as the option of retesting with a home test sent to their address 3 months after treatment.
Most patients (90%) opted to receive retest reminders, and most of those chose text and e-mail reminders. Only 5% chose to use the home test kit.