A chlamydia education and training program for general practice nurses: reporting the effect on chlamydia testing uptake
Anna Wood A E , Sabine Braat B , Meredith Temple-Smith A , Rebecca Lorch C , Alaina Vaisey B , Rebecca Guy D and Jane Hocking B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of General Practice, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, 780 Elizabeth Street, Carlton, Vic. 3053, Australia.
B Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3053, Australia.
C South Eastern Sydney LHD HIV and Related Programs (HARP) Unit, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
D The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: annwood@unimelb.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(1) 36-42 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY20056
Submitted: 13 March 2020 Accepted: 16 October 2020 Published: 2 February 2021
Abstract
The long-term health consequences of untreated chlamydia are an increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancies and infertility among women. To support increased chlamydia testing, and as part of a randomised controlled trial of a chlamydia intervention in general practice, a chlamydia education and training program for general practice nurses (GPN) was developed. The training aimed to increase GPNs’ chlamydia knowledge and management skills. We compared the difference in chlamydia testing between general practices where GPNs received training to those who didn’t and evaluated acceptability. Testing rates increased in all general practices over time. Where GPNs had training, chlamydia testing rates increased (from 8.3% to 19.9% (difference = 11.6%; 95% CI 9.4–13.8)) and where GPNs did not have training (from 7.4% to 18.0% (difference = 10.6%; 95% CI 7.6–13.6)). By year 2, significantly higher testing rates were seen in practices where GPNs had training (treatment effect = 4.9% (1.1 – 8.7)), but this difference was not maintained in year 3 (treatment effect = 1.2% (−2.5 – 4.9)). Results suggest a GPN chlamydia education and training program can increase chlamydia testing up to 2 years; however, further training is required to sustain the increase beyond that time.
Keywords: chlamydia testing, general practice, general practice nurse, training.
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