"I'll Just Pick It Up…": Women's Acceptability of Self-Sampling Methods for Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Behavior
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• Suboptimal sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening rates persist among college women.
• Self-sampling methods (SSMs) offer a potential solution to increase screening accessibility.
• Understanding user preferences is crucial for developing effective SSM interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore intervention characteristics influencing college women's adoption of SSMs for STI screening.
• To identify key factors that would encourage the use of SSMs in a college population.

Main Methods:

• Conducted in-depth interviews with 24 sexually active college women (aged 18-24).
• Utilized the Diffusion of Innovation theory to guide the exploration of SSM characteristics.
• Stratified interviews by screening status (screened vs. not screened).

Main Results:

• Women perceived SSMs as non-complex with straightforward instructions.
• Preferred receiving results via text or email over telephone.
• Expressed concerns regarding sample mailing, contamination, and tampering.
• The primary advantage identified was avoiding direct healthcare provider interaction.

Conclusions:

• Findings illuminate critical intervention characteristics for promoting SSM adoption among college women.
• Informing the development of theory-based interventions to enhance STI screening rates.
• Aimed at reducing the public health burden of STI-related diseases through improved screening.