Sexually transmitted diseases | 2021
Impact of Check It: A Novel Community-based Chlamydia Screening and Expedited Treatment Program for Young Black Men.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES\nTo estimate the impact of the Check It program, a novel community-based chlamydia seek, test and treat program for young Black men who have sex with women, on test positivity rates for chlamydia in young Black women.\n\n\nMETHODS\nWe used a synthetic control model to compare chlamydia test positivity rates in Orleans Parish (intervention site) to other similar parishes (control sites) in Louisiana. We estimated a model that used all other parishes as potential contributors to a synthetic control for Louisiana as well as a sample limited to the 40 parishes in Louisiana with the largest Black populations.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe Check It program was associated with a 1.69 percentage point decline in chlamydia positivity in the first full year of operation and a 2.44 percentage point decline in chlamydia positivity in the second full year of operation compared to control sites with the largest Black populations (p = 0.05). Results were similar when the treatment site was compared to all other sites in Louisiana.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nThe Check It program was associated with a significant decline in chlamydia testing positivity rates among women in Orleans Parish compared to control sites. Screening of young Black men who have sex with women can decrease rates in women living in the same community. Future recommendations for chlamydia screening of young men should be considered.