Continuing need for sexually transmitted disease clinics after the affordable care act

K.W. Hoover, B.W. Parsell, J.S. Leichliter, M.A. Habel, G. Tao, W.S. Pearson and T.L. Gift

American Journal of Public Health, 2015, vol. 105, S690-S695

Abstract: Objectives: We assessed the characteristics of sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic patients, their reasons for seeking health services in STD clinics, and their access to health care in other venues. Methods: In 2013, we surveyed persons who used publicly funded STD clinics in 21 US cities with the highest STD morbidity. Results: Of the 4364 STD clinic patients we surveyed, 58.5% were younger than 30 years, 72.5% were non-White, and 49.9% were uninsured. They visited the clinic for STD symptoms (18.9%), STD screening (33.8%), and HIV testing (13.6%). Patients chose STD clinics because of walk-in, same-day appointments (49.5%), low cost (23.9%), and expert care (8.3%). Among STD clinic patients, 60.4% had access to another type of venue for sick care, and 58.5% had access to another type of venue for preventive care. Most insured patients (51.6%) were willing to use insurance to pay for care at the STD clinic. Conclusions: Despite access to other health care settings, patients chose STD clinics for sexual health care because of convenient, low-cost, and expert care. Policy Implication. STD clinics play an important role in STD prevention by offering walk-in care to uninsured patients.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; child; female; health care delivery; health care policy; human; male; mass screening; middle aged; outpatient department; patient attitude; safety net hospital; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; socioeconomics; statistics and numerical data; United States; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Child; Female; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Safety-net Providers; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Socioeconomic Factors; United States; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2015.302839_3

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302839

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