Data results and lessons learned from the inclusion of SMS reminders as an expansion of a school-based STD screening program. Presented by Veronica Whycoff from the DC Department of Health at YTH Live 2014 session "Advances in STD Diagnosis and Results."

1. Lessons
Learned:
Incorpora.ng
Text
Message
Reminders
into
a
School
Based
STD
Screening
Program
Veronica
Whycoff,
MSW
DC
Department
of
Health
HIV/AIDS,
Hepa..s,
STD
and
TB
Administra.on

2. DC School Based STD Screening
Program
• All
DC
Public
High
Schools
Par.cipate
• In
existence
since
2009
• Opt
out
program
• Urine
based
Gonorrhea
and
Chlamydia
screening
• Results
available
within
a
week
over
the
phone
• Op.on
to
received
treatment
at
school
within
7-­‐10
days

3. Chlamydia
Rates
by
Age
and
Sex,
2011

4. Gonorrhea
Rates
by
Age
and
Sex,
2011

5. Reported
Chlamydia
Cases
by
Year
of
Report
and
Age
at
Diagnosis,
Washington,
DC

6.
Reported
Gonorrhea
Cases
by
Year
of
Report
and
Age
at
Diagnosis,
Washington,
DC

7. School
Based
STD
Screening
Program
Timeline
(Academic
Years)
• Advocacy
• Internal
commitment
2006
• DOH
Wide
Buy
in
• Parents,
Principals,
Teacher
buy
in
2007
• Pilot
• Real
Talk
Text
Messaging
2008
Implementa.on
(22
schools)
2009

8. School
Based
Screening
Program
Timeline
(
Academic
Years)
• Full
scale
• Clinical
provider
partnership
• HIV
&
Pregnancy
Tes.ng
• Text
Messaging
2010
Added
Peer
Counseling
2011
Addi.onal
text
messaging
at
3
weeks
and
3
months
2012
HIV
tes.ng
in
10
schools
2013

9.
DC
School
Based
STD
Screening
Program
Results

10. Text
Messaging
Campaign
• 84%
of
youth
say
text
is
their
preferred
method
of
communica.on
• 64%
of
youth
screened
provided
a
number
for
us
to
text
• 25%
of
those
who
called
in
and
asked
survey
ques.ons
state
they
called
in
because
of
text
message
• In
2012
added
2
more
text
messages
– 3
weeks
–Don’t
forget
to
get
your
partner
tested
– 3
months-­‐
Retest!

11.
Our
Successes
HIV
Tes.ng
in
Schools
Expanded
text
messaging
Increased
treatment
rates

12. Our
Challenges
• Text
messages
added
but
was
no
connected
to
data
collec.on
opportunity
• Capacity(
lack
of
man
power,
budget
cuts,
vacant
posi.ons,
interns
and
others
used
to
staff
program)
• Inconsistent
data
collec.on
• Data
collec.on
is
not
always
connected
to
the
way
we
work
(
data
collec.on
vs
mee.ng
the
need)

13. What’s
Next
for
Us?
• Matching the actions to the data( or tying
our actions to data)
– Text message 1 tied to results notification and survey collection
– Text message 2 tied to partner referral
– Text message 3 tied to 3 month follow up screening
• Matching the work to capacity
– Realigning our team and partnerships
– Dedicated time/person for technology add-ons
– Interns as a compliment not an answer
– Student health is where resources need to be concentrated

14. What’s
Next
for
Us?
• Looking
at
new
ways
to
work
– Electronic Health Record/Patient Portal for results
– Survey prompt when accessing results will let us know if youth
by pass it and will eliminate the issue of staff error
– Phone counseling for high risk youth
• Allows us to counsel, refer and follow up ( closing the
screen, treat, and re-screen loop)
– Resource and Referral app in the process of being developed
by Education and Behavioral Health Dept.

15. Many
Thanks
to….

16. Contact
Infoma.on
Veronica
Whycoff,
MSW
STD
Educa.on
and
Outreach
Manager
Veronica.whycoff2@dc.gov