Treat Adolescents with STIs Before Discharging Them from the ED

This retrospective study found that almost half of adolescents prescribed outpatient antibiotics for pelvic inflammatory disease or chlamydia did not fill their prescriptions.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common in adolescents and may lead to significant complications, including abscesses, infertility, and ectopic pregnancies. Although STIs such as chlamydia are easily treated with antibiotics, it is unknown how frequently adolescents actually fill these prescriptions.

Using pharmacy and insurance plan data, researchers retrospectively assessed the proportion of antibiotic prescriptions filled by adolescent girls and boys (ages 13 to 19 years) treated for pelvic inflammatory disease or chlamydia at one of two pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in Washington, DC, between 2016 and 2017. Of 208 patients who were prescribed outpatient antibiotics, only 58% of prescriptions were filled. Patients who we…

Reviewing Author

Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Emergency Medicine

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAcademy for Academic Women in Emergency Medicine (Social Media Chair)

Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Emergency Medicine

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAcademy for Academic Women in Emergency Medicine (Social Media Chair)

Treat Adolescents with STIs Before Discharging Them from the ED

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Reviewing Author