A New national chlamydia sentinel surveillance system in Australia: Evaluation of the first stage of implementation

Authors

  • Rebecca J Guy National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Fabian Kong Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Jane Goller Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Neil Franklin National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Isabel Bergeri Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Wayne Dimech National Serology Reference Laboratory Australia, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Nicole Reilly Perinatal and Reproductive Epidemiology Research Unit, incorporating the National Perinatal Statistics Unit, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Elizabeth Sullivan Perinatal and Reproductive Epidemiology Research Unit, incorporating the National Perinatal Statistics Unit, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • James Ward National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • John M Kaldor National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Margaret Hellard Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Basil Donovan National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • ACCESS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2010.34.32

Keywords:

chlamydia, sentinel surveillance, Australia

Abstract

The Australian Collaboration for Chlamydia Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS) was established with funding from the Department Health and Ageing to trial monitoring the uptake and outcome of chlamydia testing in Australia. ACCESS involved 6 separate networks; 5 clinical networks involving sexual health services, family planning clinics, general practices, antenatal clinics, Aboriginal community controlled health services, and 1 laboratory network. An evaluation of ACCESS was undertaken in early 2010, 2 years after the program was funded. At the time of the evaluation, 76 of the 91 participating sites were contributing data. The jurisdictional distribution of the 76 sites generally matched the jurisdictional distribution of the Australian population. In 2008, the chlamydia testing rates in persons aged 16–29 years attending the 26 general practices was 4.2% in males and 7.0% in females. At the 25 sexual health services, the chlamydia testing rates in heterosexuals aged less than 25 years in 2008 was 77% in males and 74% in females. Between 2004 and 2008, the chlamydia positivity rate increased significantly in heterosexual females aged less than 25 years attending the sexual health services, from 11.5% to 14.1% (P < 0.01). Data completeness was above 85% for all core variables except Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status and country of birth, which ranged from 68%–100%, and 74%–100%, respectively, per network. There were delays in establishment of the system due to recruitment of 91 sites, multiple ethics applications and establishment of automated extraction programs in 10 different database systems, to transform clinic records into a common, pre-defined surveillance format. ACCESS has considerable potential as a mechanism toward supporting a better understanding of long-term trends in chlamydia notifications and to support policy and program delivery. Commun Dis Intell 2010;34(3):319–328.

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Published

01/09/10

How to Cite

Guy, Rebecca J, Fabian Kong, Jane Goller, Neil Franklin, Isabel Bergeri, Wayne Dimech, Nicole Reilly, et al. 2010. “A New National Chlamydia Sentinel Surveillance System in Australia: Evaluation of the First Stage of Implementation”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 34 (September):319-28. https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2010.34.32.

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Vol. 34 (2010)

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Original article

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