![]() If staff are not able to reach positive clients in a timely manner, there may be delays in notification and treatment and consequently possible ongoing spread of STDs. ![]() Significant staff time is spent in locating positive clients for follow-up therefore, presumptively treated positive clients and clients who test negative are not contacted by field staff. Innovative methods are needed to intervene in the spread of disease and to use staff time effectively. 2 Texting is a potentially viable method of communicating health information because of its wide use for general communications. 3,4 It also has the potential to address racial/ethnic disparities, as mobile phone ownership and the use of texting has been found to be very high among racial/ethnic minorities. 3,5–7 Texting has been used to send health education messages to clients, 8–10 prompt clients to take their medication, 11–14 and remind clients of appointment dates and times. 15 Texting has increased client-provider communication in chronic disease management 16 and improved operational efficiencies in STD notification efforts in UK clinics. Some US STD programs have drafted policies and protocols for the use of texting to facilitate client-provider communication in STD intervention, 20–22 but no state STD programs have. In 2009, Peoria CHD in Illinois began delivering gonorrhea and chlamydia results using coded texts. ![]() They reported a decrease in the time required for follow-up with clients and lowered program costs, as a result of less time spent by staff locating clients. 23 Starting in December 2010, Clay CHD in Florida implemented Peoria CHD’s coded texting project and also documented similar outcomes to Peoria. Implementation of the Florida STD Texting Project 24 Neither the Peoria nor Clay CHD texting projects have been rigorously evaluated. ![]()
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