Leveraging Health Information Technology to Reduce Health Disparities in Adolescent Health Outcomes: A Patient-Centered Approach

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether using an electronic clinical decision support (CDS) tool based on a sexual health survey (SHS) can improve detection rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents aged 15 to 21 years who visit the emergency department. The study aims to compare STI detection rates between adolescents receiving SHS-derived CDS and those receiving usual care without CDS. Additional analyses will assess detection differences by sexual risk level and race or ethnicity. The study includes two groups: one where eligible adolescents complete the SHS and receive electronic CDS if identified at risk, and a comparison group receiving usual care before the CDS tool was implemented. The intervention is behavioral, focusing on using health information technology to support clinical decisions during emergency visits. Participants will be adolescents aged 15 to 21 years visiting the emergency department. Researchers will measure detection rates of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae within 3 to 7 days after the visit. Data on STI rates will also be analyzed by race and ethnicity. The study involves following participants during and after their emergency visit to evaluate the impact of the CDS tool on STI detection. The trial is sponsored by the Children's National Research Institute and plans to continue until early 2027.

Health Information Technology to Reduce Disparities in Adolescent Health Outcomes: A Pragmatic Trial