Sexually transmitted diseases
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Because adolescents rely heavily on emergency services for health care, a pediatric emergency department (PED) visit may be their only opportunity for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of Neisseria gonorrheae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections in asymptomatic PED adolescents and patient-perceived barriers to STI screening. ⋯ There are high proportions of GC and CT among asymptomatic adolescents visiting an academic urban PED. A universal PED STI screening program may be an important component of STI reduction initiatives, especially among adolescents who do not perceive that they are at risk and may not receive testing elsewhere.