University of Sussex
Browse
Carrie_testing_STI_2013.pdf (606.82 kB)

Testing for sexually transmitted infections among students: a discrete choice experiment of service preferences

Download (606.82 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 17:59 authored by Carrie LlewellynCarrie Llewellyn, Chloe Sakal, Mylene Lagarde, Alex Pollard, Alec H Miners
Objectives To assess preferences among students for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing services, with a view to establishing strength of preference for different service attributes. Design Online discrete choice experiment (DCE) questionnaire. Setting South East of England. Participants A convenience sample of 233 students from two universities. Outcomes Adjusted ORs in relation to service characteristics. Results The study yielded 233 responses. Respondents’ ages ranged from 16 to 34 years with a mean age of 22 years. Among this sample, the respondents demonstrated strong preferences for a testing service which provided tests for all STIs including syphilis, herpes and HIV (OR 4.1; 95% CI 3.36 to 4.90) and centres staffed by a doctor or nurse with specialist knowledge of STIs (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.78 to 2.37). Receiving all test results, whether positive or negative, was also significantly preferable to not being notified when tests were all negative (‘no news is good news’; OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.5). The length of time waiting for an appointment and the method by which results are received were not significant service characteristics in terms of preferences. Patient level characteristics such as age, sex and previous testing experience did not predict the likelihood of testing. Conclusions This study demonstrates that of the examined attributes, university students expressed the strongest preference for a comprehensive testing service. The next strongest preferences were for being tested by specialist STI staff and receiving negative as well as positive test results. However, it remains unclear how strong these preferences are in relation to characteristics which were not part of the study design and whether or not they are cost-effective.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

BMJ Open

ISSN

2044-6055

Publisher

BMJ Publishing Group

Issue

10

Volume

3

Page range

1-7

Department affiliated with

  • Primary Care and Public Health Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2014-07-30

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2014-07-30

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2014-07-30

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC