Infertility Prevention Project - Region X
CHT's Region X IPP has been managing chlamydia and gonorrhea screening in the Northwest for over 20 years. From 1988 through 2003 the project focused on testing at over 150 Title X FP clinics in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Beginning in 1994 the project expanded to include tests from STD, community/migrant health, college and school health, juvenile and adult correctional, and prenatal clinics. In 2007 IPP CT/GC testing was being implemented in over 425 clinics.
Our Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) helps CHT oversee project activities and is composed of representatives from the four states. Each state or project area has four voting members that include the state STD Manager or IPP Coordinator, an FP representative, a laboratorian, and one 'other' participant (based on state needs). Key IPP issues are voted on, however most decisions are made by a group consensus process.
To assist the RAC and CHT, the Region X IPP maintains three standing committees: clinical, laboratory, and data. Additional workgroups are developed, as needed, to address other project tasks. The committees provide technical guidance, as well as maintaining updated materials for the project manual.
Besides the four voting members per project area, the RAC also includes: sub-committee chairpersons; representatives from Title X grantees, the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Service/STD Services, and the Seattle STD/HIV Prevention Training Center; and other STD, FP, laboratory stakeholders.
Data & Surveillance
The data committee oversees the project's routinely generated quarterly and annual data tables, along with reviewing and updating table content. This committee also takes the lead in reviewing the region's lab slip used for data collection. All changes to the data collection instrument are reviewed by all committees and must be approved by the full RAC. CHT's data analyst works closely with the data committee and CDC staff concerning supplemental analyses and dissemination materials on CT/GC positivity.
Recent IPP presentations and products using Region X data are provided below.
Recent regional analyses
2012
- Chlamydia Screening in Region X Title X Family Planning: Prioritizing Resources. Presented at the Regional Advisory Committee meeting, February 2012. (download PDF 2.14MB)
- Family Planning Clinic Chlamydia Screening Coverage: Some Method Issues and Results. Presented at the Regional Advisory Committee meeting, February 2012. (download PDF 251KB)
- Abstract Summary: A Closer Look: Barriers and Opportunities to Improve Chlamydia Retesting Rates. Presented at the Regional Advisory Committee meeting, February 2012. (download PDF 118KB)
2011
- Region X IPP Vaginal Swabs Update. Presented at the Regional Advisory Committee meeting, February 2011. (download PDF 272KB)
2010
- The Case for Screening During Non-Routine Exams: Evaluating IPP Screening Policy. Presented at the Regional Advisory Committee meeting, January 2010 (download PDF 90KB)
2009
- Screening coverage in FP clinics—an update and implications. Presented at the Regional Advisory Committee meeting, January 2009 (download PDF 51KB)
- Report for Region X: Chlamydia screening coverage and positivity, 2007: Supplemental Report. Presented to RAC data committee March 20 (download PDF 149KB)
- Gonorrhea Positivity in Region X IPP Clients (CY2007) (download PDF 295KB)
2008
- CT and pregnancy visits in FP: An examination of characteristics of and risks for Chlamydia trachomatis for pregnancy-associated visits among women aged 15 - 24 years at Region X Family Planning clinics, 2003—2006. Presented at the July 2008 RAC meeting (download PDF 36KB)
- Data driven programs—using IPP CT test records to inform Region X IPP goals and activities. Presented at the January 2008 RAC meeting (download PDF 48KB)
2007
- Racial/ethnic differences in chlamydia among female clients 1997 – 2006, Washington state FP clinics. Washington State IPP meeting, September 2007 (download PDF 154KB)
Journal articles
- Chlamydia Positivity in Women Screened in Family Planning Clinics: Racial/Ethnic Differences and Trends in the Northwest U.S., 1997–2006 (download PDF 762KB)
- Chlamydia Positivity in American Indian/Alaska Native Women Screened in Family Planning Clinics, 1997-2004. (download PDF 326KB)
- Increasing Chlamydia Positivity in Women Screened in Family Planning Clinics: Do We Know Why? (download PDF 223KB)
- Selective Screening Criteria for Gonorrhea Among Young Women Screened for Chlamydial Infection: Contribution of Race and Geographic Prevalence. (download PDF 130KB)
Conference presentations
National STD Prevention Conference, March 2012
- Social Determinants, Epidemiologic Context, and Individual Risk Factors for Chlamydia Infection Among Women Attending Family Planning Clinics in the Region X Infertility Prevention Project, 2010 (download PDF 393KB)
- A Closer Look: Barriers and Opportunities to Improve Chlamydia Retesting Rates (download PDF 958KB)
- The Male Reproductive Health Project: Increasing Male Clients and STI Testing at Family Planning Clinics (download PDF 423KB)
- Concurrency among Women <25 Years of Age and Men <30 Years of Age Screened in Infertility Prevention Project (IPP) Sites in U.S. Public Health Service Region X, 2009 and 2010 (download the poster, PDF 30KB)
Title X Family Planning National Grantee Meeting, August 2011
- Chlamydia Screening in Region X Title X Family Planning: Prioritizing Resources (download PDF 2.25MB)
International Society for the Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, July 2010
- Successful Interventions to Increase Use of Self Obtained Vaginal Swabs for Chlamydia/Gonorrhea Testing in WA State (download PDF 1.09MB)
- Concurrency among Women <25 Years of Age Screened in Family Planning and Reproductive Health Clinics in U.S. Public Health Service Region X, January 2009 – June 2010 (download the poster, PDF 124KB)
- The Male Reproductive Health Project: Increasing Male Clients and STI Testing at Family Planning Clinics (download the poster, PDF 360KB)
Alaska Statewide Tribal STD/HIV Taskforce Meeting, September 2010
- Talk Story: Promoting Health Equity and Social Justice in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities: (download PDF 1.28MB)
National STD Prevention Conference, March 2010, selected analyses
- Concurrency Women <25 Years of Age Screened in Region X IPP FP/RH Clinics, 2009: (download PDF 215KB)
- POSTER: Differences in Chlamydia Positivity - Asian and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander Women Age 15-24
In Region IX and X Infertility Prevention Project (IPP) Family Planning Clinics
(download the poster, PDF 105KB)
(download the abstract, PDF 13KB) - POSTER: Second chlamydia positive tests in previously infected adolescent family planning clients, Region VIII Infertility Prevention Project, 1994-2007:
(download the poster, PDF 34KB)
(download the abstract, PDF 11KB) - The Case for Screening During Non-Routine Exams: Evaluating IPP Screening Policy: (download PDF 56KB)
- Re-Screening of CT Positive Clients in Region X IPP, 2003-2008: (download PDF 234KB)
National STD Prevention Conference, March 2008, selected analyses
- Chlamydia trachomatis among women attending Region X Infertility Prevention Project family planning clinics, 1997-2006: Race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status and other risk factors. (download PDF 88KB)
- A tale of two populations: Chlamydia trachomatis among men attending Region X Infertility Prevention Project STD clinics, 2000-2006 (download PDF 46KB)
- Chlamydia Positivity in American Indian/Alaska Native Women Screened in Region X Family Planning Clinics, 1997-2004 (download PDF 188KB)
- Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection among women who have sex with women (WSW) attending family planning, STD and other clinics in the Pacific Northwest (download PDF 135KB)
International Society for the Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases biennial meeting, July 2007
- Beyond Race/ethnicity: Positivity of Chlamydia trachomatis among women attending Region X family planning clinics in the U.S., 1997-2005, by individual risks and area-based socioeconomic measures. (download PDF 170KB)
- Cervicitis in women attending STD clinics in Washington state. (download PDF 104KB)
Research reports
Chlamydia and Race/Ethnicity in Title X Region X Female Clients Age 15-24 Years.
Improving Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency.
For more information on these research reports, contact David Fine.
Lab Services
The lab committee has developed and currently maintains several processes to check QA issues. For example, they each submit to the Regional Coordinator, on a quarterly basis, their records for turn-around-time for reporting positive and negative results back to the clinic. They also exchange specimens to check each other's reading of these specimens. They have a calling circle to report any problems with reagents or test kits. This circle includes the National Public Health Lab representative for Chlamydia, Dr. Rick Steece, and the CDC Chlamydia lab representative, Dr. John Papp.
Clinical Services
The clinical services committee continues to revise the chart audit tool to reflect project goals. The chart audit tool assesses how well clinics are following regional guidelines, selective screening criteria, and partner notification activities. Beyond their work monitoring IPP-related services and maintaining the project manual's clinical section, they are also designing other practical tools to insure that CDC and program protocols are being implemented with fidelity, e.g. a Mini Manual.