Using a resource allocation model to guide better local sexually transmitted disease control and prevention programs

Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) are two common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States. Annual screening for CT for all sexually active women aged 25 years and younger, all pregnant women, women with history of STDs, or women older than 25 years who are at increased risk of infection (e.g., women who have a new or more than one sex partner) is recommended by several medical professional organizations. Publicly-funded programs usually do not have enough funding to screen and treat all patients. Therefore, we propose a resource allocation model to assist clinic decisionmakers under a given budget in selecting a CT and GC screening and treatment strategy for clinic patients. This model is designed to maximize the number of cured cases. Our study demonstrates that a resource allocation model can be used to identify an optimal strategy among many potential strategies to guide decisions about effective use of limited resources for CT and GC control and prevention. The results of the model also helped to identify key variables in the model and to understand how each key variable affects the determination of the optimal strategy.