A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Interventions to Increase Repeat Testing in Patients Treated for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia at Public Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics

Abstract

Phone reminders are more cost-effective than motivational counseling and improve return rates over a brief recommendation given at the time of initial treatment.

Retesting for Repeat Chlamydial Infection: Family Planning Provider Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices

“…17 In contrast, a pilot study in New York of incentives and mail or telephone reminders found no substantial increase in return rates. 26 Though telephone reminders have been found to be the most effective intervention in increasing patient return rates and the least costly in terms of cost per infection treated, 27 our data demonstrate that only 29% of family planning providers report using phone reminders for retesting visits.…”

Active recall to increase HIV and STI testing: a systematic review

“…One study assessed cost-effectiveness of phone call reminders and found brief verbal advice combined with a phone reminder yielded the highest return rate and the lowest cost per infection treated compared with brief verbal advice alone or a financial incentive 49. Other studies suggest that the use of SMS reminders is a cheap and effective way of increasing reattendance rates for HIV/STI testing, but no cost-effectiveness studies were performed.…”

Repeat genitalChlamydia trachomatistesting rates in young adults in England, 2010

“…However the optimum approach to repeat testing in England is yet to be established. The resources required and yield in terms of number of individuals having a repeat test are likely to vary according to the approach used (which might include recommendation by clinician at the time of treatment, telephone or text message reminders or posting home testing kits to consenting patients at an agreed interval) 16. Rates of repeat testing in countries that already recommend repeat testing following a positive test vary.…”