High-School Based Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea

In calendar year 2000, the case rate for reported chlamydia infections among 15-19 year old females in Philadelphia was 8,224/100,000, more than 6 times the rate among females of all ages citywide and 3.5 times the national rate for females this age group. In addition, the case rate among males in Philadelphia in this age group was 1,645/100,000, only 20% of the rate among females in this age group. This screening program was implemented in high schools to reach these affected populations; testing of females was designed to identify infected individuals so that treatment could be provided and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) prevented. Testing of males was designed to identify asymptomatic individuals and to provide treatment to avoid sequelae and reduce infection/reinfection of females. Testing of both groups was also intended to reduce the reservoir of infection with asymptomatic infection in the community. Educational presentations were provided in an effort to educate students regarding the asymptomatic nature of many STDs, encourage those who were already sexually active to modify their behavior and to reinforce decisions to abstain from sex among other students.

The goal of this program is to educate high school students regarding the risks of STDs, prevention methods, and the need for testing if sexually active.

Approximately 30,000 students are provided with Sexually Transmitted Disease educational presentations annually (2002-2003 & 2003-2004 school years); approximately 60% of those students were tested. In the 2002-2003 school year, 19,713 students were tested, 1,052 were found to be infected and 1,051 (99.9%) were treated. In the 2003-2004 school year, 17,019 were tested, 813 found infected and 807 (99.3%) treated. In the 2004-2005 school year, testing is in progress with more than 10,000 students tested mid-way through the school year.