USPSTF Recommends Screening for STIs, Behavioral Counseling

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Jaye Elizabeth Hefner, MD

All sexually active females aged 24 and younger, and older women at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), should be screened for chlamydia and gonorrhea, according to the latest U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations now published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. At-risk women include those with new sexual partners, multiple partners, and inconsistent condom use (grade B recommendation).

The task force says there's not enough evidence to weigh the benefits and harms of such screening in men (I statement). These recommendations are similar to those issued by the group in 2007 (chlamydia) and 2005 (gonorrhea).

Also in Annals, the USPSTF recommends intensive behavioral counseling for all sexually active adolescents and for adults at increased risk for STIs (grade B recommendation). The most successful interventions include at least 2 hours of contact time, basic information about STIs, training in condom use, and goal setting. The recommendation is similar to the group's 2008 guidance.