Evaluation of clinician-reported adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis in two U.S. health plans.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess clinician adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended treatments for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in two health plans.

STUDY DESIGN

Using hypothetical scenarios, a 1999-2000 mail survey questioned clinicians about how they would treat a cervicitis patient (CT and gonorrhea treatment recommended) and two patients with laboratory-confirmed CT: an injection drug user (single-dose azithromycin promotes adherence) and a pregnant patient (nonteratogenic drugs recommended).

RESULTS

Seven hundred forty-three (82%) of the 907 nonretired clinicians receiving the survey completed it. Eighty-one percent (N=599) reported providing recent CT care. Of these, 70.1% reported they would presumptively treat patients with cervicitis for CT and gonorrhea, 17.1% for CT only, and 11.7% for neither pathogen. Of the 580 clinicians addressing drug injectors, 61.7% reported they would prescribe azithromycin. Most (88.8%) of the 343 clinicians seeing pregnant patients reported they would prescribe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended antibiotics. Reported adherence varied by clinician specialty and sources of treatment guidance.

CONCLUSIONS

Most clinicians reported treatment consistent with CDC guidelines.