Phoenix Newsletter - October 2025 President’s Message: Enduring Commitments in a Time of Change Read President’s Message: Enduring Commitments in a Time of Change
Home Research Research Library Primary care screening for sexually transmitted infections in the United States from 2019 to 2021 Primary care screening for sexually transmitted infections in the United States from 2019 to 2021 2025 Author(s) Hao, Shiying, Velásquez, Esther E, Pearson, William S, Hoover, Karen W, Zhu, Weiming, Rochlin, Ilia, Vala, Ayin, Chu, Isabella, Phillips, Robert L, Rehkopf, David H, and Kamdar, Neil S Volume PLOS One Source PLOS One Background Early identification and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is critical to improve patient outcomes. Barriers to healthcare seeking are potentially exacerbated by COVID-19. This study examined trends in STI testing and positivity from 2019 to 2021 in primary care in the United States. Methods This is a retrospective study using the PRIME Registry, a national primary care EHR registry, from January 1, 2019-December 31, 2021. We calculated age-standardized monthly and annual testing rates for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus stratified by gender and race/ethnicity. We also generated quarterly and annual rates for test positivity. Chi-square tests and 95% confidence intervals were used for comparison. 753 practices and 4,410,609 patients were included, with 180,558 having STI tests. Results We observed a substantial decline in testing rates for STIs from March-April 2020 (31% for chlamydia, 30% for gonorrhea, 23% for syphilis, 24% for HIV), followed by a rapid increase in May-June 2020 (64% for chlamydia, 65% for gonorrhea, 32% for syphilis, 48% for HIV). Testing rates per 100,000 decreased from 2019 to 2021 for chlamydia (3,592 vs 2,355 vs 2,181) while increased for gonorrhea in 2020 (2,129 vs 2,207 vs 2,057). STI testing rates from 2019 to 2021 for females and non-Hispanic Black or African American patients were higher than other groups. An increase in test positivity from 2019 to 2021 was observed for gonorrhea (0.4% vs 0.4% vs 0.5%) but no significant change for chlamydia (1.5% vs 1.6% vs 1.5%). Conclusion Testing rates for STIs substantially dropped during stay-at-home orders early in the pandemic and recovered after these were relaxed. Gender and race/ethnicity STI testing differences may reflect primary care’s prioritization of higher risk populations. This study emphasizes the role of primary care EHR data in monitoring and an opportunity for closer collaboration with public health agencies. ABFM Research Read all 2026 Demonstrating the Reliability and Structural Validity of Creating Patient-Level and Clinician-Level Scores on the Person Centered Primary Care Measure Go to Demonstrating the Reliability and Structural Validity of Creating Patient-Level and Clinician-Level Scores on the Person Centered Primary Care Measure 2026 Reflections on Family Medicine’s First Year of Program Signals and Other New ERAS Features Go to Reflections on Family Medicine’s First Year of Program Signals and Other New ERAS Features 2026 Estimation of Mortality via the Neighborhood Atlas and Reproducible Area Deprivation Indices Go to Estimation of Mortality via the Neighborhood Atlas and Reproducible Area Deprivation Indices 2026 Primary Care Physician Continuity Is a Consistent Measure Associated with Lower Costs and Hospitalizations Go to Primary Care Physician Continuity Is a Consistent Measure Associated with Lower Costs and Hospitalizations
Author(s) Hao, Shiying, Velásquez, Esther E, Pearson, William S, Hoover, Karen W, Zhu, Weiming, Rochlin, Ilia, Vala, Ayin, Chu, Isabella, Phillips, Robert L, Rehkopf, David H, and Kamdar, Neil S Volume PLOS One Source PLOS One
ABFM Research Read all 2026 Demonstrating the Reliability and Structural Validity of Creating Patient-Level and Clinician-Level Scores on the Person Centered Primary Care Measure Go to Demonstrating the Reliability and Structural Validity of Creating Patient-Level and Clinician-Level Scores on the Person Centered Primary Care Measure 2026 Reflections on Family Medicine’s First Year of Program Signals and Other New ERAS Features Go to Reflections on Family Medicine’s First Year of Program Signals and Other New ERAS Features 2026 Estimation of Mortality via the Neighborhood Atlas and Reproducible Area Deprivation Indices Go to Estimation of Mortality via the Neighborhood Atlas and Reproducible Area Deprivation Indices 2026 Primary Care Physician Continuity Is a Consistent Measure Associated with Lower Costs and Hospitalizations Go to Primary Care Physician Continuity Is a Consistent Measure Associated with Lower Costs and Hospitalizations
2026 Demonstrating the Reliability and Structural Validity of Creating Patient-Level and Clinician-Level Scores on the Person Centered Primary Care Measure Go to Demonstrating the Reliability and Structural Validity of Creating Patient-Level and Clinician-Level Scores on the Person Centered Primary Care Measure
2026 Reflections on Family Medicine’s First Year of Program Signals and Other New ERAS Features Go to Reflections on Family Medicine’s First Year of Program Signals and Other New ERAS Features
2026 Estimation of Mortality via the Neighborhood Atlas and Reproducible Area Deprivation Indices Go to Estimation of Mortality via the Neighborhood Atlas and Reproducible Area Deprivation Indices
2026 Primary Care Physician Continuity Is a Consistent Measure Associated with Lower Costs and Hospitalizations Go to Primary Care Physician Continuity Is a Consistent Measure Associated with Lower Costs and Hospitalizations
