A Pilot Study of Chlamydia Screening among High School Girls

Increasing prevalence rates of chlamydia, coupled with poor national screening rates, have resulted in a public health risk among adolescent females. Using school-based clinics to screen for chlamydia is one way to combat the sequelae of untreated disease. A pilot study in one high school was conducted to determine the positivity rate of asymptomatic chlamydia and to test the feasibility of school-based screening. Urine samples (N 5 51) tested by nucleic acid amplification resulted in 2 positive results, reflecting a 3.925% incidence rate. School-based programs can be a realistic location to screen the adolescent population for sexually transmitted diseases.