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Acceptability of self-testing for trichomoniasis increases with experience.
Jill S Huppert1, Elizabeth A Hesse, Molly A Bernard
1Division of Adolescent Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA. jill.huppert@cchmc.org
Sexually Transmitted Infections
|July 29, 2011
Summary
Self-testing for trichomoniasis is acceptable for young women, especially after trying the test and discussing results with a clinician. This improves confidence and trust in self-testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose a significant health challenge for adolescents.
- Self-testing and point-of-care (POC) tests offer potential for improved STI detection in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate a scale for measuring acceptability of trichomoniasis self-testing.
- To compare the acceptability of self-testing versus clinician-performed POC testing for trichomoniasis.
- To examine how experience and result review impact acceptability and identify predictors of acceptability.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 14-22 year old women completed surveys on self-testing and clinician testing acceptability at multiple time points.
- Factor analysis was used to validate the acceptability scale.
- Mixed models and generalized linear models analyzed changes in acceptability and predictors.
Main Results:
- Acceptability of self-testing for trichomoniasis improved after participants experienced the test and reviewed results.
- Initial lower comfort with self-testing increased post-experience.
- Positive attitudes towards home testing and concordance of results predicted higher acceptability.
Conclusions:
- Young women's confidence in self-testing for trichomoniasis can be low initially.
- Providing opportunities to try POC tests and discuss results enhances self-testing acceptability.
- Interventions should focus on building confidence and trust in self-testing methods.
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