Improving sexually transmitted disease management in the private sector: the Jamaica experience

To improve the quality of sexually transmitted disease (STD) case management in Jamaica by providing comprehensive continuing medical education to private practitioners who manage 60% of all STDs on the island.

Six half-day STD seminars were presented at 3-4-month intervals and repeated in three separate geographic locations. All Jamaican practitioners received invitations. The subjects were as follows: urethritis, genital ulcer disease, HIV infection, vaginal discharge syndrome, STDs in children and adolescents, and a review seminar. The program effectiveness was evaluated with a written, self-reported pre-test and a telephone post-test that measured changes in clinical management.

Six hundred and twenty eight practitioners attended at least one seminar. Comparing pre- versus post-test scores, there were practitioner improvement trends in all four of the general STD management categories: counseling/education (69.8-73.3%; P > 0.05); diagnostics/screening (57.2-71.0%; P= 0.042); treatment (68.3-74.5%; P> 0.05); and knowledge (66.4-83.2%; P= 0.002). Obtaining syphilis serologies during pregnancy rose from 38.3 to 83.8% (P= 0.001), and providing effective treatment for gonorrhea rose from 57.8 to 81.1 % (P= 0.002), but correct responses on treatment for mucopurulent cervicitis at the post-test was a low 32.4%.

The introduction of continuing medical education for improved STD care targeting private physicians in Jamaica was successful based on high attendance rates and self-reported STD management practices. However, efforts should continue to address the weaknesses found in STD management and counseling and to reach the providers who did not participate. In the global effort to reduce HIV transmission by improving STD care services, continuing education programs that target the private sector can be successful and should be included as a standard activity to improve care and provide a public/private link to STD/HIV control.