With the advent of urine–based chlamydia tests, screening can be conducted in juvenile detention facilities. To determine chlamydia infection rates among female and male juvenile detainees in seven detention facilities in California, urine–based chlamydia testing was conducted from September 2000 through July 2002. Participants provided data on demographics and use of health care services. Among the 1,284 females, chlamydia prevalence was 12.9%; among the 4,778 males, prevalence was 6.0%. Overall, 54.3% of females and 70.5% of males reported not having received primary care in the previous year. High chlamydia prevalence combined with poor access to primary care among adolescents in detention warrants screening for chlamydia in juvenile detention facilities.
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