TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes in chlamydia control activities in Europe between 2007 and 2012: a cross-national survey
AU - van den Broek, Ingrid V
AU - Sfetcu, Otilia
AU - van der Sande, Marianne A
AU - Andersen, Berit
AU - Herrmann, Björn
AU - Ward, Helen
AU - Götz, Hannelore M
AU - Uusküla, Anneli
AU - Woodhall, Sarah C
AU - Redmond, Shelagh M
AU - Amato-Gauci, Andrew J
AU - Low, Nicola
AU - van Bergen, Jan E
N1 - FTX; (CC BY 4.0); © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - BACKGROUND: In 2012, the levels of chlamydia control activities including primary prevention, effective case management with partner management and surveillance were assessed in 2012 across countries in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), on initiative of the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) survey, and the findings were compared with those from a similar survey in 2007.METHODS: Experts in the 30 EU/EEA countries were invited to respond to an online questionnaire; 28 countries responded, of which 25 participated in both the 2007 and 2012 surveys. Analyses focused on 13 indicators of chlamydia prevention and control activities; countries were assigned to one of five categories of chlamydia control.RESULTS: In 2012, more countries than in 2007 reported availability of national chlamydia case management guidelines (80% vs. 68%), opportunistic chlamydia testing (68% vs. 44%) and consistent use of nucleic acid amplification tests (64% vs. 36%). The number of countries reporting having a national sexually transmitted infection control strategy or a surveillance system for chlamydia did not change notably. In 2012, most countries (18/25, 72%) had implemented primary prevention activities and case management guidelines addressing partner management, compared with 44% (11/25) of countries in 2007.CONCLUSION: Overall, chlamydia control activities in EU/EEA countries strengthened between 2007 and 2012. Several countries still need to develop essential chlamydia control activities, whereas others may strengthen implementation and monitoring of existing activities.
AB - BACKGROUND: In 2012, the levels of chlamydia control activities including primary prevention, effective case management with partner management and surveillance were assessed in 2012 across countries in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), on initiative of the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) survey, and the findings were compared with those from a similar survey in 2007.METHODS: Experts in the 30 EU/EEA countries were invited to respond to an online questionnaire; 28 countries responded, of which 25 participated in both the 2007 and 2012 surveys. Analyses focused on 13 indicators of chlamydia prevention and control activities; countries were assigned to one of five categories of chlamydia control.RESULTS: In 2012, more countries than in 2007 reported availability of national chlamydia case management guidelines (80% vs. 68%), opportunistic chlamydia testing (68% vs. 44%) and consistent use of nucleic acid amplification tests (64% vs. 36%). The number of countries reporting having a national sexually transmitted infection control strategy or a surveillance system for chlamydia did not change notably. In 2012, most countries (18/25, 72%) had implemented primary prevention activities and case management guidelines addressing partner management, compared with 44% (11/25) of countries in 2007.CONCLUSION: Overall, chlamydia control activities in EU/EEA countries strengthened between 2007 and 2012. Several countries still need to develop essential chlamydia control activities, whereas others may strengthen implementation and monitoring of existing activities.
KW - Chlamydia Infections/prevention & control
KW - Europe
KW - Health Care Surveys/methods
KW - Humans
KW - Primary Prevention/methods
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/ckv196
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckv196
M3 - A1: Web of Science-article
C2 - 26498953
VL - 26
SP - 382
EP - 388
JO - European Journal of Public Health
JF - European Journal of Public Health
SN - 1101-1262
IS - 3
ER -