PolicyLab

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are at epidemic proportions in the United States, with unprecedented numbers of chlamydia and gonorrhea – 1.5 million and nearly 400,000 cases in 2015, respectively – reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What’s more, up to 20 percent of young women are re-infected with these diseases within one year, most commonly due to lack of partner treatment, making screening and treatment crucial. PolicyLab’s Jen Gable and Dr. Cynthia Mollen note in their new Evidence to Action and Policy briefs that while there are many potential solutions to tackling this epidemic, one evidence-based approach to partner treatment is currently vastly underutilized – expedited partner therapy (EPT). With EPT, the medical provider gives a prescription or medication to a patient with chlamydia or gonorrhea to take to his or her partner. Learn more about EPT and strategies to increase it's use in Dr. Mollen's blog post.