Dataset Information

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

ABSTRACT:

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.

SUBMITTER: Llewellyn CD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3816231 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

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

Llewellyn Carrie D CD Sakal Chloe C Lagarde Mylene M Pollard Alex A Miners Alec H AH

BMJ open 20131028 10

<h4>Objectives</h4>To assess preferences among students for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing services, with a view to establishing strength of preference for different service attributes.<h4>Design</h4>Online discrete choice experiment (DCE) questionnaire.<h4>Setting</h4>South East of England.<h4>Participants</h4>A convenience sample of 233 students from two universities.<h4>Outcomes</h4>Adjusted ORs in relation to service characteristics.<h4>Results</h4>The study yielded 233 respons ...[more]

PMID: 24165028

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Dataset Information

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

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Outcomes

Results

Conclusions

Publications

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

Similar Datasets

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