About this trial
The goal of this interventional study is to provide more access to STI testing for patients who seek abortion care through telemedicine, particularly for those whose access to STI testing is otherwise limited. The main questions it aims to answer are:
What is the acceptability, feasibility, and utilization of self-collected STI screening at the time of telemedicine medication abortion provision?
How does the uptake of such a service among patients receiving telemedicine abortion care compare to the population of patients who seek in-person medication abortion care?
What are the positivity rates for STIs in among patients receiving telemedicine medication abortion care compared to the positivity rates for a contemporaneous, in-clinic population?
What is the average time to between testing and treatment for patients who test positive for an STI using the self-collection service?
Researchers will compare the intervention group to a contemporaneous, in-clinic population on uptake of STI screening, as well as on positivity rates for the STIs tested.
Participants will be asked to perform self-swab collection for STI testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomonas. They will be instructed to send their specimens to a lab using prepaid postage. Upon completion of sample collection and shipping, they will be asked to complete a survey assessing basic demographic information, as well as acceptability and feasibility of the intervention. Patients who test positive for an STI will be promptly provided/referred to treatment.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Patients of the Queen Medical Center Options Center clinic seeking telemedicine medication abortion.
Patients for whom, according to the CDC guidelines for STI Testing11, STI testing is indicated, or patients who desire STI screening
Age 14 and over
Can speak and read English
Disqualifiers
Home address that is not located in the state of Hawai'i
Incarcerated
Unwilling to perform vaginal swab collection
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Self-swab collection PCR test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas
Treatment groups
Sponsors and collaborators
Queen's Medical Center
Lead sponsor
University of Hawaii Foundation
Collaborator