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ABSTRACT: Background
In The Netherlands, a national chlamydia screening program started in 2008, but the participation was low and the screening was not cost-effective. This study aimed to explore unconscious and conscious associations with chlamydia screening (16-29 year-olds). In addition, we examined whether information presented in chlamydia screening invitation letters had an effect on the evaluation of these determinants compared to a no-letter group.Methods
An Internet survey was conducted that included self-report measures of attitude, susceptibility, severity, unrealistic optimism, subjective, moral, and descriptive norm, perceived behavioral control, outcome expectations, barriers, intention, and a response time measure to assess unconscious associations of chlamydia screening with annoyance, threat and reassurance.Results
On the unconscious level, participants (N?=?713) who received no information letter associated testing for chlamydia with annoyance and threat, but also with reassurance (all p's?ConclusionSubjective norm, moral norm, susceptibility, and attitude towards chlamydia might be crucial targets to increase chlamydia screening behavior among sexually active young people. This study shows that informational invitation letters increase the intention and the intention-predicting variables. More evidence is needed on whether screening behavior can be increased by the use of an alternative information letter adapted to the specific unconscious and conscious determinants revealed in this study, or that we need other, more interactive behavior change methods.
SUBMITTER: ten Hoor GA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4222760 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
ten Hoor Gill A GA Ruiter Robert A C RA van Bergen Jan E A M JE Hoebe Christian J P A CJ Houben Katrijn K Kok Gerjo G
BMC public health 20131123
<h4>Background</h4>In The Netherlands, a national chlamydia screening program started in 2008, but the participation was low and the screening was not cost-effective. This study aimed to explore unconscious and conscious associations with chlamydia screening (16-29 year-olds). In addition, we examined whether information presented in chlamydia screening invitation letters had an effect on the evaluation of these determinants compared to a no-letter group.<h4>Methods</h4>An Internet survey was co ...[more]