Reducing New Chlamydia Infection Among Young Men by Promoting Correct and Consistent Condom Use: Protocol for a...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sexual Health Interventions
• Health Technology

Background:

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose significant public health challenges, particularly among young people.
• Effective condom use is crucial for STI prevention, yet proper usage remains a barrier.
• Novel, scalable interventions are needed to support sexual health services facing funding declines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the home-based intervention strategy (HIS-UK) for young men.
• To compare HIS-UK, delivered digitally (e-HIS) and face-to-face (ProHIS), against usual National Health Service (NHS) care.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving men aged 16-25 at risk of STIs.
• Three arms: e-HIS, ProHIS, and usual NHS care.
• Primary outcomes include increased correct/consistent condom use, improved condom experience, and reduced chlamydia positivity, assessed via questionnaires and screenings over 12 months.

Main Results:

• Recruitment began in March 2020, was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and resumed in Summer 2021.
• A 30-month recruitment period is planned for the study.

Conclusions:

• Successful implementation of HIS-UK could reduce STI transmission and healthcare costs.
• The intervention promotes digital technology adoption in sexual health services, potentially increasing accessibility and reducing health inequalities.