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Article
Young Women's Reasons to Seek Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening
Public Health Nursing
  • Uba Backonja, University of Washington Tacoma
  • Heather R. Royer
  • Diane R. Lauver
Publication Date
10-1-2014
Document Type
Article
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To describe young women's reasons to seek and not to seek sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening; to explore whether reasons differed by age and STI screening history. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: Cross-sectional, descriptive. Female students (N = 216) at a university in the Midwestern United States. MEASURES: An anonymous online survey was designed based on the Theory of Care Seeking Behavior and literature regarding STI screening among young women. RESULTS: The most common reason to seek STI screening was to start treatment promptly (85%); the most common reason not to seek screening was being asymptomatic (54%). Participants' reasons differed by age and screening history. Women under 25 were more likely than women 25 and older to seek screening because of encouragement from female role models (p < .01). Women who had never been screened were more likely than women who had been screened to avoid screening because of embarrassment (p < .05). Novel findings included seeking STI screening because it "should be done" if sexually active and because of encouragement from female role models. CONCLUSIONS: Health care and public health professionals can use these findings to develop strategies to improve STI screening rates among young women.

DOI
10.1111/phn.12125
Publisher Policy
pre-print, post-print (with 12 month embargo)
Citation Information
Uba Backonja, Heather R. Royer and Diane R. Lauver. "Young Women's Reasons to Seek Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening" Public Health Nursing Vol. 31 Iss. 5 (2014) p. 395 - 404
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/uba-backonja/11/