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Self-collection of antepartum anogenital group B streptococcus cultures
1Family Practice Service, Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson, Colo., USA.
Insights
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screening cultures performed by patients are as accurate as those done by physicians. Most pregnant individuals preferred self-collection, potentially improving satisfaction and healthcare efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Infectious Disease Prevention
- Clinical Microbiology
Background:
- Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a primary cause of neonatal infections.
- Current guidelines recommend anogenital GBS cultures for pregnant individuals between 35-37 weeks gestation.
- This study investigates patient self-collection of GBS swabs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy of GBS cultures collected by patients versus physicians.
- To assess patient preference for self-collection of GBS swabs.
- To explore potential benefits for patient satisfaction and healthcare resource utilization.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 250 obstetrics patients.
- Patients performed an anogenital swab before or after physician collection.
- Preference surveys and statistical analyses (chi-square, McNemar's, Kruskal-Wallis) were utilized.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference was found between patient and physician GBS swab results.
- No significant difference was observed between first and second swab results.
- 145 out of 250 patients preferred self-collection of GBS swabs.
Conclusions:
- Patient self-collection of GBS swabs is a viable and accurate alternative to physician collection.
- A majority of patients expressed a preference for performing their own GBS swabs.
- Patient self-collection may enhance satisfaction and optimize healthcare resource allocation.
Background:
Group B streptococcus (GBS) from the maternal perineum is a leading cause of serious neonatal infection. Recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include cultures from anogenital swabs on all pregnant women between 35 and 37 weeks' gestation. This study examines whether a significant difference in test results exists between GBS cultures from swabs done by physicians and those done by patients, and whether patients prefer to perform the swab themselves, with the potential of enhancing patient satisfaction and decreasing utilization of health care resources.
Methods:
Study design was a comparison of 250 obstetrics patients attending a military community hospital family medicine clinic. Patients were assigned on an alternating basis to perform an anogenital culture swab before or after the physician performed a swab. Patients were designated to complete a preference survey before or after the swabs were performed. Descriptive statistics, chi square, and McNemar's test corrected for multiple comparisons, and the Kruskal-Wallis test on effect of order on test outcome were used to analyze the data.
Results:
Forty-two of 250 patients had positive cultures. There was no statistically significant difference between swab results done by patients and those done by physicians. There was no significant difference between results of first swabs and results of second swabs. Of the 250 patients 145 preferred self-collection. There was no statistically significant relation between preference and order of completion of the questionnaire.
Conclusions:
Patient-collection technique is as accurate as physician collection. A majority of patients in this study population preferred self-collection of GBS swabs.