An Analysis on Prevention Interventions: Lessons Learned.

Background: Infectious diseases prevention has been highly documented and applied. In the current article we analyse the intervention on chlamydia screening from a policy perspective. The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) that was launched in the United Kingdom in 2003 serves as an example. Objectives: This on-desk research aims to critically analyse the Chlamydia Screening Policy in the UK to point out strength and weaknesses, and to draw recommendations for improvements. Methodology: To analyse the screening policy a selective and structured on-desk research was conducted. Systematic reviews, evaluation papers and official documents of main executive agencies as the Public Health England from the years 2000 to 2019 were included. Data were analysed by the Health Policy Triangle framework. Results: The NCSP is an opportunistic screening programme and aims to prevent transmission, to control and to early detect the chlamydia infections in the age group of 15 to 24-year-old sexually active people. Factors that lead to the implementation were mainly politically driven, rather than based on a sophisticated analysis of subpopulations in need and a cost-effectiveness analysis. Strengths are the local embedment in primary health care which provides a low threshold approach for those in need and clear guidance for health professionals. Evaluation however is executed mainly internal and monitors more than it critically evaluates the programme on a multidimensional level. Conclusion: Analysing the NCSP reveals lack of evidence in opportunistic screening of Chlamydia overall and the need of deeper research in terms of cost-effectiveness. A relaunch of the programme with a special focus on sub-population, the expansion of digital services and a multidimensional approach of prevention is required to legitimate the programme (e.g. Antibiotic Resistance, limited resources). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]