Addressing chlamydia in middle aged and older women in rural and northern British Columbia

The purpose of this literature review is to identify the ways in which nurse practitioners working in primary care can incorporate sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening as part of the well woman examination, especially among middle-aged and older women and Aboriginal women, in order to prevent long-term complications of undiagnosed STIs, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and an increased risk of acquiring HIV. An integrative literature review revealed that there is an abundance of research about STI screening for women under the age of 25. However, there is limited research about STI screening, prevention, and treatment among sexually active middle-aged and older women. Primary care providers can conduct screening and prevention practices for chlamydia and other STIs by normalizing STI screening with a nonjudgmental attitude. All primary care providers need further education about the increasing rates of chlamydia and other STIs in middle-aged and older women. --Leaf ii.