CDC: Chlamydia screening down among women
Reported May 03, 2009
ATLANTA – The percentage of young sexually active U.S. women ages 16-25 screened for chlamydia increased from 25 percent to 43 percent during 2000-2006, officials said.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Weekly Report said that the number of women screened for the sexually transmitted disease of chlamydia declined slightly in 2007 to 41.6 percent.
The highest regional rate of chlamydia screening in 2007 was in the Northeast at 45.5 percent and the lowest was in the South at 37.3 percent. By state, in 2007, Hawaii had the highest rate of screening at 57.8 percent and Utah had the lowest at 20.8 percent.
“The findings demonstrate that despite increases in the first half of the decade, chlamydia screening rates remain substantially lower than other critical women’s health services, such as Pap tests,” the report said.
“Further monitoring is needed to determine whether the decreased screening rate in 2007 represents a trend or is due to increases in the number of plans reporting screening data that year. Low chlamydia screening rates are particularly concerning due to the severe health consequences that can result from untreated chlamydia — pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.”
Source : United Press International