M. Mccoll et al., CLIENT FOLLOW-UP AT THE ADELAIDE SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASE CLINIC, Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 20(2), 1996, pp. 161-164
This study investigated the extent to which doctor-client communicatio
n is associated with follow-up rates at Clinic 275, an Adelaide sexual
ly transmitted diseases (STD) clinic. At Clinic 275, clients are routi
nely screened for the major STDs at their first visit. They are then a
sked to return in one week's time for their results and further treatm
ent if necessary. Over a four-week period in April-May 1994, the clini
cal consultations between doctors and 100 clients attending for their
first visit in an episode of care were observed and recorded. Data fro
m the observation schedules were matched with data collected from inte
rviews, either when clients returned for their follow-up visit (n = 78
) or from a telephone interview when they failed to return (n = 20). I
n addition, 18 clients who failed to return for follow-up (but were no
t part of the original observation sample) were interviewed. Sociodemo
graphic factors did not affect follow-up rates. Of those who did not r
eturn for follow-up, social and environmental reasons were cited by ab
out two-thirds. Reasons given by the remaining clients indicate that f
ailure to return for follow-up was related to discrepancies in doctor-
client communication in that they were confused about the need to retu
rn to obtain test results. In addition, approximately half could not n
ame the infections for which they had been tested. Changes in clinic p
ractice may prove a more useful method of increasing follow-up rates t
han seeking to identify the characteristics of noncompliant individual
s.