DOES LEAD-TIME FROM INFECTION TO PID DEVELOPMENT MATTER IN CHOOSING AN STD SCREENING INTERVAL?
Kenneth J. Smith, MD, University of Pittsburgh, Section of Decision Sciences and Clinical Systems Modeling, Pittsburgh, PA, Robert L Cook, MD, MPH, University of Pittsburgh, Center for Research on Health Care, Pittsburgh, PA, and Mark S. Roberts, MD, MPP, University of Pittsburgh, Section of Decision Sciences and Clinical Systems Managment, Pittsburgh, PA. Purpose: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a major cause of disability among young women. As a preventive measure, most experts recommend screening for sexually transmitted disease (STD) every 12 months, while some argue for 6 month screening in higher risk women. However the lead-time from STD acquisition to PID development is unknown and its influence on screening interval impact and cost-effectiveness is unclear. Methods: Using a Markov decision model, we estimated the incremental cost/QALY gained by chlamydia and gonorrhea screening every 6 or 12 months compared to no screening. Our base case analysis examined high-risk young
