The use of focus groups to design an internet-based program for chlamydia screening with self-administered vaginal swabs: what women want.

Objective: To ascertain the opinions, concerns and perceptions of sexually active women to guide the development of an internet-based chlamydia outreach and screening program using self-administered vaginal swabs as a first step to prevention.

Methods: Seven focus groups were conducted by trained facilitators. Questions were designed to initially open the discussion and elicit the members' own perceptions.

Internet-based screening for Chlamydia trachomatis to reach non-clinic populations with mailed self-administered vaginal swabs.

Background: Testing for Chlamydia trachomatis by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) using self-collected vaginal swabs (VS) is acceptable and accurate. The objectives were to implement an educational Internet-based program for women to facilitate home screening, to determine whether women would request and use self-collected VS kits, to determine associated risk factors for infection, and to determine satisfaction with the process.

Methods: The website, www.