TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Chlamydial Infection Treatment in Women Discharged From an Urban Safety-Net Emergency Unit
AU - Park, Eunsol
AU - Alvarez, Kristin S.
AU - Harms, Michael
AU - Johnson, Courtney
AU - Griffith, William
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments: The authors thank Sophia Guckenberg, who is a nurse navigator in the discharge program, for her work toward stopping the spread of sexually transmitted infections; Onyinye (Peace) Nwaeke for her contribution to data collection and chart review; Harin Lee for his help with outlining this manuscript and conducting literature review; and Jenny Kim for her help with reviewing this manuscript. Finally, we would like to thank the Hirsch Family Foundation for their support of work published from the Center of Innovation and Value.
Publisher Copyright:
© Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
PY - 2022/10/1
Y1 - 2022/10/1
N2 - Background Chlamydia is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted infection. COVID-19 exacerbated the challenges in treating and preventing new Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections. This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on treating CT-positive patients discharged from a safety-net women's emergency unit. Methods This was a preretrospective and postretrospective cohort study. Chlamydia trachomatis-positive female patients seen in the women's emergency unit were evaluated. Patients discharged in 2019, the "pre-COVID-19"group, and those discharged in 2020, the "COVID-19"group, were compared. The primary outcome was CT treatment within 30 days, and secondary outcomes included prescription dispensation, repeat tests taken, and expedited partner treatment. A subgroup of patients discharged before treatment who entered a nurse-led follow-up program was also evaluated. Results Of the 1357 cases included, there were no differences in successful 30-day treatment (709 of 789 [89.9%] vs. 568 of 511 [89.9%], P = 0.969) or repeat positive CT test (74 of 333 [22.2%] vs. 46 of 211 [21.8%]), P = 0.36) between pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19. However, the patients who picked up their prescription (196 of 249 [78.7%] vs. 180 of 206 [87.4%], P = 0.021) and those who were prescribed expedited partner therapy (156 of 674 [23.1%] vs. 292 of 460 [63.5%], P < 0.001) increased. Findings in the subgroup of patients who entered the follow-up program were consistent with those in the full cohort. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic did not change treatment patterns of CT-positive patients in this safety-net women's emergency unit. However, patients were more likely to pick up their medications during COVID-19. Despite the perseverance of these programs through the pandemic, most patients are discharged before positive results, and a fair amount remain untreated.
AB - Background Chlamydia is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted infection. COVID-19 exacerbated the challenges in treating and preventing new Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections. This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on treating CT-positive patients discharged from a safety-net women's emergency unit. Methods This was a preretrospective and postretrospective cohort study. Chlamydia trachomatis-positive female patients seen in the women's emergency unit were evaluated. Patients discharged in 2019, the "pre-COVID-19"group, and those discharged in 2020, the "COVID-19"group, were compared. The primary outcome was CT treatment within 30 days, and secondary outcomes included prescription dispensation, repeat tests taken, and expedited partner treatment. A subgroup of patients discharged before treatment who entered a nurse-led follow-up program was also evaluated. Results Of the 1357 cases included, there were no differences in successful 30-day treatment (709 of 789 [89.9%] vs. 568 of 511 [89.9%], P = 0.969) or repeat positive CT test (74 of 333 [22.2%] vs. 46 of 211 [21.8%]), P = 0.36) between pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19. However, the patients who picked up their prescription (196 of 249 [78.7%] vs. 180 of 206 [87.4%], P = 0.021) and those who were prescribed expedited partner therapy (156 of 674 [23.1%] vs. 292 of 460 [63.5%], P < 0.001) increased. Findings in the subgroup of patients who entered the follow-up program were consistent with those in the full cohort. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic did not change treatment patterns of CT-positive patients in this safety-net women's emergency unit. However, patients were more likely to pick up their medications during COVID-19. Despite the perseverance of these programs through the pandemic, most patients are discharged before positive results, and a fair amount remain untreated.
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U2 - 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001677
DO - 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001677
M3 - Article
C2 - 35830654
AN - SCOPUS:85138451642
SN - 0148-5717
VL - 49
SP - 700
EP - 705
JO - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
JF - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
IS - 10
ER -