Screening for sexually transmitted diseases during preparticipation sports examination of high school adolescents

Nsuami, Malanda; Elie, Migel; Brooks, Bridget N; Sanders, Ladatra S; Nash, Theresa D; Makonnen, Feseha; Taylor, Stephanie N; Cohen, Deborah A

doi:10.1016/S1054-139X(03)00017-X

« Previous Next »Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 32, Issue 5 , Pages 336-339, May 2003

Screening for sexually transmitted diseases during preparticipation sports examination of high school adolescents

Malanda Nsuami, M.D., M.P.H.
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (M.N., B.N.B., L.S.S., F.M., D.A.C.)
- Department of Medicine (M.N., L.S.S., F.M., S.N.T.), Section of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Address correspondence to: Dr. Malanda Nsuami, 1542 Tulane Avenue, Room 404, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Migel Elie, M.D.
- New Orleans Public Schools Medical and Health Services Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (M.E., T.D.N.)
Bridget N Brooks, M.S.P.H.
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (M.N., B.N.B., L.S.S., F.M., D.A.C.)
Ladatra S Sanders, B.S.
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (M.N., B.N.B., L.S.S., F.M., D.A.C.)
- Department of Medicine (M.N., L.S.S., F.M., S.N.T.), Section of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Theresa D Nash, R.N., M.N.
- New Orleans Public Schools Medical and Health Services Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (M.E., T.D.N.)
Feseha Makonnen, M.D.
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (M.N., B.N.B., L.S.S., F.M., D.A.C.)
- Department of Medicine (M.N., L.S.S., F.M., S.N.T.), Section of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Stephanie N Taylor, M.D.
- Department of Medicine (M.N., L.S.S., F.M., S.N.T.), Section of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Deborah A Cohen, M.D., M.P.H.
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (M.N., B.N.B., L.S.S., F.M., D.A.C.)

Accepted 18 November 2002.

Abstract

In an urban school district, 636 students in grades 9–12 were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by ligase chain reaction assays using specimens collected for routine urinalyses during sports physical examinations. Chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalences were 2.8% and 0.7% among males, and 6.5% and 2.0% among females, respectively. Among athletes infected with either sexually transmitted disease (STD), 93.1% reported no symptoms, and treatment was documented for 75.9%. Sports physicals offered a unique opportunity to screen and treat adolescents for STDs and to provide STD-prevention counseling.

Keywords: Adolescents, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Sexually transmitted disease, Screening, Sports physical examination, Reproductive health