PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Marian J Currie
AU  - Louise S Deeks
AU  - Gabrielle M Cooper
AU  - Sarah J Martin
AU  - Rhian M Parker
AU  - Rendry Del Rosario
AU  - Jane S Hocking
AU  - Francis J Bowden
TI  - Community pharmacy and cash reward: a winning combination for chlamydia screening?
AID  - 10.1136/sextrans-2011-050357
DP  - 2013 May 01
TA  - Sexually Transmitted Infections
PG  - 212--216
VI  - 89
IP  - 3
4099  - http://sti.bmj.com/content/89/3/212.short
4100  - http://sti.bmj.com/content/89/3/212.full
SO  - Sex Transm Infect2013 May 01; 89
AB  - Objectives To date, the uptake of chlamydia screening in community pharmacies has been limited. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine if a cash reward, offered to both the provider and the consumer of chlamydia screening, increased the uptake of screening in community pharmacies. Methods During 4 weeks in 2011, chlamydia screening and education were offered in four city and two suburban pharmacies to people aged 16–30 years. Those who provided a urine sample for testing, contact details, and completed a brief questionnaire were rewarded with $A10. Positive participants, and their nominated contacts, were offered treatment. Results Over a period of 751.5 h, 979 testing kits were requested, and 900 (93%) urine samples returned. Using probabilistic linkage methods, we determined that 671/900 (75%) urine samples were from unique individuals. 0.9 unique samples were obtained/hour of screening, 63% of which were provided by men. 19/671 (2.8%; 95% CI 1.7% to 4.4%) people tested positive, 5.2% (95% CI 2.8% to 8.8%) of women, and 1.4% (1.4 0.5 to 3.1) of men. 11/19 (58%) people were contacted and treated—two for suspected pelvic inflammatory disease. Conclusions Providing a cash reward to encourage chlamydia screening in community pharmacies resulted in greater participation rates than previously reported pharmacy-based studies, particularly among men. Easily implemented mechanisms to reduce inappropriate repeat screening, incorrect contact details and effects on pharmacy work flow may enhance the efficiency of this approach.