Pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescents: reducing health disparities through quality improvement

Abstract

African American adolescents are disproportionately affected by Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and associated complications. Most cases of PID are now treated in outpatient settings, such as primary care clinics and emergency departments. Surveys of pediatricians in emergency departments have demonstrated that care patterns are highly variable. No such reports are available regarding primary care settings. In order to reduce disparities associated with PID, quality improvement studies are critical. The purpose of this study is to evaluate care delivery patterns in patients treated for PID in pediatric outpatient settings and to determine the impact of practice type on delivery patterns.