Chlamydia testing program missing their targets

Despite an intensive program for nearly five years, it was revealed this week that not enough young people are getting tested for the sexually transmitted infection Chlamydia. Primary health care trusts are still regularly missing their Chlamydia testing targets, making it the second year running that health care authorities in the UK have failed to meet their quotas.

In some areas, only 10% of under-25s are getting a chlamydia test, 7% less than demanded by the government and far short of the 35% health experts believe is necessary to get the rapidly spreading infection under control. Estimates suggest that 1 in 10 sexually active young persons are carrying the infection, making it the most common STI in the UK.

The drop in testing rates is even greater than last year, when 15.9% of the targeted age group was tested. Despite national – and expensive – advertising campaigns on the television, radio and on billboards, people are still being reticent about taking up offered STI tests. The BBC claim that in total, over £3.5 million has been spent on campaigns, sending chlamydia testing kits by post, and incentives such as vouchers and Ipods.

Overall, Warwickshire proved to have the worst chlamydia screening rates, seeing just 4.2#% of the 15-24 year olds in the region avail themselves of the services. Doncaster and Lambeth did best, beating the desired target rates comfortably. Experts believe that innovative initiatives in the regions to reach young people, such as handing out chlamydia test kits in bars and pubs, are responsible for their excellent chlamydia screening quotas and say that other primary health care trusts need to follow their example and get more creative.

The sexual health charity Brook has said that young people want an online service, where they can enter their postcode and have a chlamydia test kit sent to them, to be made available. This kind of service is already available privately, with patients paying a sum to be sent a kit, which they send back to the lab and then check their results online or via a text message.

Their spokesperson said, "At the moment we are hearing young people say it is too complicated. They don't want to go to a clinic or a GP. They want somewhere online and we just don't have that national system in place at the moment."

However government minister Gilliam Merron has defended the success of the National Chlamydia Screening Program, saying that it is helping protect the health of the nation by ensuring Chlamydia is detected early. The newly appointed public health minister said, "The National Chlamydia Screening Programme gives immediate benefit to everyone who takes part and means we are able to stop Chlamydia in its tracks.

"By detecting it earlier, we are making a real and measurable difference to the lives of young people.
 
"The rate of screening of young people is a major achievement. We are making significant progress and will continue to do so."

Article Source: http://www.info-hog.com