Are adolescents being screened for sexually transmitted diseases? A study of low income African American adolescents in San Francisco

Objectives: To determine the proportion of sexually experienced African Ame rican adolescents who report having been screened for sexually transmitted diseased (STDs), and to determine the proportion who report having been scr eened for STDs among those adolescents who have had a preventive primary he althcare visit in the past 2 years. Methods: A telephone survey of a population based sample of African America n 12-17 year old adolescents residing in a low income San Francisco neighbo urhood with a high prevalence of STDs. Results: Of the 302 adolescents surveyed, 118 (39%) reported a history of s exual intercourse. Of these, 26% of the males and 59% of the females had be en screened for an STD in the previous 12 months. 31% of the males and 63% of the females had been screened for an STD in the previous 24 months. Of t he 93 participants who had had a preventive primary care visit since their first episode of sexual intercourse, 26% of the males and 60% of the female s had been screened for an STD in the previous 24 months. Conclusions: Sexually experienced African American adolescents in San Franc isco are being screened for STDs at rates well below that recommended by cu rrent clinical guidelines. A low rate of screening was found even in those adolescents who had been seen for a preventive primary care visit since the y first had sex. This suggests that the preventive primary care visit is no t being used to its full potential as an opportunity to screen and treat ad olescents for STDs. Capitalising on this opportunity to screen may increase the number of STDs diagnosed and, thus, decrease rates of STDs in this pop ulation.