Screening methods for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in sexually transmitted infection clinics: what do patients prefer?

Objectives To meet the need for services at sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics, self-obtained vaginal (SOV) swabs or first-catch urine (FCU) samples collected at a clinic visit have been proposed as an alternative approach for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) screening. The purpose of this clinic-based survey was to determine if non-invasive clinic-based SOV swabs and FCU samples for CT and GC screening are acceptable replacements for a traditional provider visit. Methods Patients seen at STI clinics in three US cities completed a self-administered survey of preferences for methods of CT and GC screening under hypothetical circumstances. Results A total of 2887 participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that contained multiple-choice questions about their preference. If there was a hypothetical long clinic wait, 58% of the survey participants preferred to wait to see a doctor. If the clinic had to turn patients away, 41% of patients preferred to come back the next business day and 46% preferred to self-collect a sample. The percentages were similar across site, demographic and clinical groups. Conclusions Clinic-based self-collected specimens for CT and GC screening were not preferred by most patients who participated in this survey. The findings indicate that more detailed information about self-collection practices must be provided for patients to adopt this new approach.