Reference: 2012-003 - The 'Test, Treat ANd GO' (TTANGO) Trial

Researchers: Dr Rebecca Guy, Mr James Ward, Professor John Kaldor, Professor Basil Donovan, Dr David Regan, A/Prof David Wilson, Dr Handan Wand, Dr Louise Causer (The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales); Dr David Whiley (Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane); A/Prof Sepehr Tabrizi (The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne); Prof Christopher Fairley (University of Melbourne); A/Prof Mark Shephard (Flinders University); A/Prof David Anderson, Ms Lisa Natoli (Burnet Institute); Ms Belinda Hengel (Apunipima Care York Health Council)

Funding: NHMRC

Project summary: The study design is a cross-over cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) in remote Aboriginal communities. Twelve health services (6 in QLD and 6 in WA) will be will be invited to participate in the trial if they meet the following inclusion criteria:

  • Located in communities classified as remote or very remote by ABS

  • At least 10% of CT and NG tests done are positive in 16-29 years olds in a year

  • Annually offer CT and NG testing to a minimum of 150 people aged 16-29 years (or services have the capacity to do so);

  • Agree to be randomly assigned in one year out of two to the “POC” phase;

  • Have an electronic patient management system; and

  • Have the staff and resource capacity to fulfil protocol requirements.

Each health service will undertake the clinical management of chlamydia and gonorrhoea under two different modalities for one year each, in a randomly assigned order. In the first year, six of the health services will be randomly assigned to manage these infections under current diagnostic guidelines (“standard practice” phase), and the other six will supplement current diagnostic guidelines with POC testing (“POC” phase), such that diagnosis is made and subsequent treatment for those with positive POC tests is offered at the time of initial consultation. In the second year, the health services will cross over to the opposite management modality.

Progress: Ongoing