Higher yet suboptimal chlamydia testing rates at community health centers and outpatient clinics compared with physician offices

Abstract

To assess chlamydia testing in women in community health centers, we analyzed data from national surveys of ambulatory health care. Women with chlamydial symptoms were tested at 16% of visits, and 65% of symptomatic women were tested if another reproductive health care service (pelvic examination, Papanicolaou test, or urinalysis) was performed. Community health centers serve populations with high sexually transmitted disease rates and fill gaps in the provision of sexual and reproductive health care services as health departments face budget cuts that threaten support of sexually transmitted disease clinics.