Using emergency-department tech and two-way texting to find and treat STIs in teens

Improving Adolescent Sexual Health Outcomes using Health Information Technology

['FUNDING_R01'] · CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE · NIH-11262211

This project uses electronic health records and two-way text messages to help emergency departments find and treat sexually transmitted infections in adolescents, especially Black and Hispanic youth.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorCHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11262211 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you visit a participating emergency department, you may be asked a short electronic questionnaire about sexual health and risk. That information is used inside the hospital's electronic health record to prompt clinicians to offer targeted STI testing during your visit. If testing is done, the team may use two-way text messaging to help with treatment, reminders, and follow-up. The researchers are comparing this tech-supported approach to usual care and refining the tools for wider use.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adolescents who seek care in participating emergency departments and who are willing to answer an electronic sexual health questionnaire and receive text messages are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Teens who do not visit participating emergency departments, who cannot or will not use text messaging, or who are older than the adolescent age range are unlikely to benefit directly from joining this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to more STIs being found and treated faster for teens and help reduce racial and ethnic disparities in STI rates.

How similar studies have performed: The team reports prior successful pilot work using EHR prompts and mHealth to increase STI testing, though larger-scale implementation is still being tested.

Where this research is happening

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.