Access to genitourinary medicine services by women attending a family planning clinic.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the need for genitourinary medicine (GUM) referral in family planning clinics (FPC) and to investigate whether women were more likely to attend an appointment if the consultation took place in the FPC or in the GUM clinic. A total of 98 women were referred from the FPC for GUM testing. They were randomly referred to be tested either in a local FPC or in the local GUM clinic. Sixty-three per cent of the 49 women randomized to be tested in the GUM clinic attended the consultation compared to 83% of the 49 women who attended the consultation in the FPC. This was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Twenty-six per cent of those attending the GUM clinic for testing and 29% of those women attending the FPC had a sexually transmitted disease (STD), that is, excluding candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis. There was no statistical difference between the 2 groups. Full GUM testing was successfully carried out in the FPC setting. This study showed that women were less likely to attend for GUM testing if the consultation took place in the GUM clinic compared to the FPC. It is known that there is a need for GUM services to be accessible to FPC attenders (and vice versa). Further research is needed to determine why women are reluctant to attend GUM clinics.