Cluster-randomised feasibility trial of a chlamydia test and treat (TnT) service in further education colleges

Aquarius were involved in a recent cluster-randomised feasibility trial looking at whether provision of a same day test and treatment (TnT) service for chlamydia in further education colleges could be used to improve uptake of chlamydia testing in sexually active 16-24 year olds. The trial found that despite a high prevalence of chlamydia among sexually active students at the colleges, uptake of the free confidential TnT service was low. At the three colleges, 13% of students were tested when the service was first offered and 10% when it was offered again three months later. Interviews with students revealed that low uptake was associated with not feeling at risk of a sexually transmitted infection, perceptions of stigma, and lack of knowledge about sexually transmitted infections, while all students interviewed were positive about the TnT service itself.

PublicationOakeshott P, Kerry-Barnard S, Fleming C, et al. “Test n Treat” (TnT): a cluster randomised feasibility trial of on-site rapid Chlamydia trachomatis tests and treatment in ethnically diverse, sexually active teenagers attending technical colleges. Clinical Microbiology and Infection. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2018.10.019.

Rapid testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections improve patient care and yield public health benefits

With collaborators at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, we estimated the impact of a rapid testing and result notification service for patients testing for sexually transmitted infections at the Dean Street Express clinic. We found that a rapid testing service for asymptomatic infections resulted in 8 days’ faster time to result notification for CT and/or NG which enables faster treatment, thus reducing infectious periods and leading to fewer transmissions, unnecessary partner attendances and clinic costs, compared with those attending an existing ‘standard’ sexual health clinic.

PublicationWhitlock GG, Gibbons DC, Longford N, et al. Rapid testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections improve patient care and yield public health benefits
International Journal of STD & AIDS. First Published October 23, 2017
https://doi.org/10.1177/0956462417736431

 

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Point-of-care tests for infectious diseases: Barriers to implementation across three London teaching hospitals

Our paper explores results of the acceptability and implementation issues of point of care tests (POCTs) in paediatric patients in three south London hospitals. Overall, we found that having a test result was thought to improve bed management and cohorting sick patients appropriately, reassure parents about their child’s condition, reduce hospital transmission, and rationalise further tests and treatment. Concerns focused on confidence about the test’s performance – particularly around false negatives not receiving proper management, how to manage discrepant results (i.e. the laboratory assay gave a different answer to the POCT), and training enough staff to run the test at the point of care.

Publication

Bustinduy AL, Jeyaratnam D, Adams EJ, et al. CLAHRC South London; Paediatric Infection Network. Point-of-care tests for infectious diseases: Barriers to implementation across three London teaching hospitals. Acta Paediatrica,  April 2017. DOI: 10.1111/apa.13867

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Modelling the burden of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in Europe

Bladder cancer is relatively common in the EU. Most cases are non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), classified into risk groups based on their chance of progression, which determines the frequency and duration of monitoring after treatment. We created a flexible tool to estimate the burden of NMIBC cases in eleven European countries and estimated the number of monitoring cystoscopies by risk group based on national and regional guidelines.

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Vecino-Ortiz AI, Glover RE, Adams EJ. Modelling the burden of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in Europe. European Association of Urology. 11-15 March 2016. Munich, Germany.

 

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How to prevent cervical cancer: HPV – we are coming to get you!

Prevention of cervical cancer in women is the focus of vaccination and screening programmes globally. However, there is no consensus on the best way to approach screening, and screening across Europe varies considerably. Innovations in diagnostic testing and new ways to engage women in screening may improve screening uptake and increase the efficiency of screening pathways. In this talk, we explore opportunities for a rapid or point of care test for HPV as part of the screening pathway, and how self-sampling may be an effective way to engage women in screening.

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Adams EJ. How to prevent cervical cancer: HPV – we are coming to get you! EUROGIN. June 15-18, 2016. Salzburg, Austria.

 

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