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Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are among the most common communicable diseases in the United States. Recent research suggests that nearly half of individuals inaccurately believe that routine STD screening includes tests for Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, HPV, Herpes, Hepatitis B, and HIV/AIDS. No known research has demonstrated patient knowledge of STD testing performed during a given visit.
Objectives: To determine whether patients visiting an urban STD clinic could accurately identify which STDs they had been tested for during their visit.
Methods: Two-hundred twenty-nine (229) patients attending the Paterson Division of Health STD Clinic completed a self-administered survey during the four-week study period. The survey asked participants to identify which STDs they were tested for during their visit. Chart review was performed on these 229 patient encounters to assess which STD tests each patient received.
Results: Only 43.7% of patients were able to correctly identify which STDs they were tested for. Chlamydia was the most common STD (25%) for which patients were not tested but believed that they had been. Testing for Herpes, HPV, and Hepatitis B were not available at the clinic, yet 11.8%, 6.6%, and 5.7% of patients, respectively, believed that they had been tested for them.
Conclusions: Patients are generally unaware of which STDs they are being tested for.
Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: The CDC currently recommends that all providers performing STD testing inform patients of all STDs being tested for, as well as those common STDs for which they are not being tested for. Educational efforts should inform providers of the CDC's current recommendation and the importance of patient education regarding STD testing. Further research should include multiple testing centers to determine whether rates of identification differ by location.