Opportunistic screening for chlamydia infection in general practice: can we reach young women?

Objective-To study opportunistic screening in primary care, in such a way t hat would include teenage women. Setting-Screening for chlamydia infection was offered opportunistically in eight general practices in Edinburgh to women aged less than or equal to 35 years attending for cervical smear, and women aged less than or equal to 2 0 years attending for contraception. The numbers of women eligible to be of fered screening were 901 in the cervical smear group, and 595 in the contra ception group. Results-Effective screening rate (offered test, consented, and urine sample returned) was 30% for the cervical smear group compared with 23% for the c ontraception group. Among those tested, chlamydia prevalence was strongly a ssociated with young age, ranging from 11.8% in those <18 years, to 0% in t hose >25 years. Number of sexual partners in past year did not improve pred iction of infection. Conclusion-These findings raise concerns regarding the feasibility of oppor tunistic screening in general practice, particularly for those with highest prevalence of chlamydia-teenage women.