scholarly journals Safetxt: a safer sex intervention delivered by mobile phone messaging on sexually transmitted infections (STI) among young people in the UK - protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e031635
Author(s):  
Caroline Free ◽  
Ona L McCarthy ◽  
Melissa J Palmer ◽  
Rosemary Knight ◽  
Phil Edwards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Partner Notification ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sti Testing ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
The Uk ◽  
To Receive

IntroductionYoung people aged 16 to 24 have the highest prevalence of genital chlamydia and gonorrhoea compared with other age groups and re-infection rates following treatment are high. Long-term adverse health effects include subfertility and ectopic pregnancy, particularly among those with repeated infections. We developed the safetxt intervention delivered by text message to reduce sexually transmitted infection (STI) by increasing partner notification, condom use and (STI) testing among young people in the UK.Methods and analysisA single-blind randomised trial to reliably establish the effect of the safetxt intervention on chlamydia and gonorrhoea infection at 1 year. We will recruit 6250 people aged 16 to 24 years who have recently been diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhoea or non-specific urethritis from health services in the UK. Participants will be allocated to receive the safetxt intervention (text messages designed to promote safer sexual health behaviours) or to receive the control text messages (monthly messages asking participants about changes in contact details) by an automated remote online randomisation system. The primary outcome will be the cumulative incidence of chlamydia and gonorrhoea infection at 1 year assessed by nucleic acid amplification tests. Secondary outcomes include partner notification, correct treatment of infection, condom use and STI testing prior to sex with new partners.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from NHS Health Research Authority - London – Riverside Research Ethics Committee (REC reference: 15/LO/1665) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. We will submit the results of the trial for publication in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberInternational Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number:ISRCTN64390461. Registered on 17thMarch 2016.WHO trial registration data setavailable at:http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=ISRCTN64390461.Trial protocol version12, 19thJuly 2018.

scholarly journals An Intervention to Increase Condom Use Among Users of Chlamydia Self-Sampling Websites (Wrapped): Intervention Mapping and Think-Aloud Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Newby ◽  
Rik Crutzen ◽  
Katherine Brown ◽  
Julia Bailey ◽  
John Saunders ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Intervention Mapping ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Intervention Goal ◽  
Group A ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Demonstration Video ◽  
Missed Opportunity

BACKGROUND Young people aged 16-24 years are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STIs can have serious health consequences for affected individuals and the estimated annual cost of treatment to the National Health Service is £620 million. Accordingly, the UK government has made reducing the rates of STIs among this group a priority. A missed opportunity to intervene to increase condom use is when young people obtain self-sampling kits for STIs via the internet. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to develop a theory-based tailored intervention to increase condom use for 16-24-years-olds accessing chlamydia self-sampling websites. METHODS The intervention, Wrapped, was developed using Intervention Mapping and was co-designed with young people. The following steps were performed: (1) identification of important determinants of condom use and evidence of their changeability using computer and digital interventions; (2) setting the intervention goal, performance objectives, and change objectives; (3) identification of Behavior Change Principles (BCPs) and practical strategies to target these determinants; and (4) development of intervention materials able to deliver the BCPs and practical strategies. RESULTS Users of existing chlamydia self-sampling websites are signposted to Wrapped after placing an order for a sampling kit. Salient barriers to condom use are identified by each user and relevant intervention components are allocated to target these. The components include the following: (1) a sample box of condoms, (2) an online condom distribution service, (3) a product for carrying condoms, (4) a condom demonstration video, (5) a series of videos on communication about condom use, and (6) erotic films of real couples discussing and demonstrating condom use. CONCLUSIONS This intervention will be directed at young people who may be particularly receptive to messages and support for behavior change due to their testing status.

scholarly journals Acceptability of remote prescribing and postal delivery services for contraceptive pills and treatment of uncomplicated Chlamydia trachomatis

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjsrh-2020-200687
Author(s):  
Tom Nadarzynski ◽  
Ynez Symonds ◽  
Robert Carroll ◽  
Jo Gibbs ◽  
Sally Kidsley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Home Delivery ◽  
Transmitted Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sti Testing ◽  
Contraceptive Pills ◽  
Remote Management ◽  
Delivery Services ◽  
The Cost ◽  
To Receive

ObjectivesThe digitalisation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services offers valuable opportunities to deliver contraceptive pills and chlamydia treatment by post. We aimed to examine the acceptability of remote prescribing and ‘medication-by-post’ in SRH.Study designAn online survey assessing attitudes towards remote management was distributed in three UK SRH clinics and via an integrated sexually transmitted infection (STI) postal self-sampling service. Logistic regressions were performed to identify potential correlates.ResultsThere were 1281 participants (74% female and 49% <25 years old). Some 8% of participants reported having received medication via post and 83% were willing to receive chlamydia treatment and contraceptive pills by post. Lower acceptability was observed among participants who were: >45 years old (OR 0.43 (95% CI 0.23–0.81)), screened for STIs less than once annually (OR 0.63 (0.42–0.93)), concerned about confidentiality (OR 0.21 (0.90–0.50)), concerned about absence during delivery (OR 0.09 (0.02–0.32)) or unwilling to provide blood pressure readings (OR 0.22 (0.04–0.97)). Higher acceptability was observed among participants who reported: previously receiving medication by post (OR 4.63 (1.44–14.8)), preference for home delivery over clinic collection (OR 24.1 (11.1–51.9)), preference for home STI testing (OR 10.3 (6.16–17.4)), ability to communicate with health advisors (OR 4.01 (1.03–15.6)) and willingness to: register their real name (OR 3.09 (1.43–10.6)), complete online health questionnaires (OR 3.09 (1.43–10.6)) and use generic contraceptive pills (OR 2.88 (1.21–6.83)).ConclusionsPostal treatment and entering information online to allow remote prescribing were acceptable methods for SRH services and should be considered alongside medication collection in pharmacies. These methods could be particularly useful for patients facing barriers in accessing SRH. The cost-effectiveness and implementation of these novel methods of service delivery should be further investigated.

scholarly journals Recognising and responding to the maltreatment of disabled children: A children’s rights approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 61-77
Author(s):  
J Hernon ◽  
M Brandon ◽  
J Cossar ◽  
T Shakespeare
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Children's Rights ◽  
Children’S Rights ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
The Uk ◽  
To Receive

Research has established that disabled young people are at greater risk of experiencing all forms of maltreatment, especially neglect (Jones et al, 2012). Despite increasing awareness of their heightened vulnerability, the maltreatment of disabled children remains under-recognised and is under-reported. Disabled children have the same rights as all children to be protected from maltreatment; to have their concerns listened to; to participate fully in decisions made about them; and to receive help to recover from maltreatment. In this paper Cossar et al’s (2013) framework for understanding the processes of recognition, telling and receiving help following maltreatment from the child’s perspective, is applied to disabled children. The particular barriers that disabled children and those working with them face in recognising and responding to maltreatment are analysed by reviewing what is known about child protection practice with disabled children, mainly in the UK. Suggestions are made about how practice with disabled children could be improved.

scholarly journals The relative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three contrasting approaches to partner notification for curable sexually transmitted infections: a cluster randomised trial in primary care

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackie A Cassell ◽  
Julie Dodds ◽  
Claudia Estcourt ◽  
Carrie Llewellyn ◽  
Stefania Lanza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Partner Notification ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Cluster Randomised

BackgroundPartner notification is the process of providing support for, informing and treating sexual partners of individuals who have been diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is traditionally undertaken by specialist sexual health services, and may involve informing a partner on a patient’s behalf, with consent. With an increasing proportion of STIs diagnosed in general practice and other community settings, there is a growing need to understand the best way to provide partner notification for people diagnosed with a STI in this setting using a web-based referral system.ObjectiveWe aimed to compare three different approaches to partner notification for people diagnosed with chlamydia within general practice.DesignCluster randomised controlled trial.SettingGeneral practices in England and, within these, patients tested for and diagnosed with genital chlamydia or other bacterial STIs in that setting using a web-based referral system.InterventionsThree different approaches to partner notification: patient referral alone, or the additional offer of either provider referral or contract referral.Main outcome measures(1) Number of main partners per index patient treated for chlamydia and/or gonorrhoea/non-specific urethritis/pelvic inflammatory disease; and (2) proportion of index patients testing negative for the relevant STI at 3 months.ResultsAs testing rates for chlamydia were far lower than expected, we were unable to scale up the trial, which was concluded at pilot stage. We are not able to answer the original research question. We present the results of the work undertaken to improve recruitment to similar studies requiring opportunistic recruitment of young people in general practice. We were unable to standardise provider and contract referral separately; however, we also present results of qualitative work aimed at optimising these interventions.ConclusionsExternal recruitment may be required to facilitate the recruitment of young people to research in general practice, especially in sensitive areas, because of specific barriers experienced by general practice staff. Costs need to be taken into account together with feasibility considerations. Partner notification interventions for bacterial STIs may not be clearly separable into the three categories of patient, provider and contract referral. Future research is needed to operationalise the approaches of provider and contract partner notification if future trials are to provide generalisable information.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN24160819.FundingThis project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full inHealth Technology Assessment; Vol. 19, No. 5. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

scholarly journals A survey of instructions to authors in surgical journals on reporting by CONSORT and PRISMA

2012 ◽  
Vol 94 (7) ◽  
pp. 468-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Shantikumar ◽  
J Wigley ◽  
W Hameed ◽  
A Handa
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trials ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Clinical Trial Registration ◽  
Journal Citation Reports ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Surgical Journals

INTRODUCTION Guidance has been published on how best to report randomised controlled trials (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials – CONSORT) and systematic reviews (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses – PRISMA). The aim of this study was to establish to what extent surgical journals formally endorse CONSORT and PRISMA in the respective reporting of randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews. METHODS Overall, 136 surgical journals indexed in Journal Citation Reports® were studied. Author guidelines were scrutinised for the following guidance: conflict of interests (COI), the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (URM), clinical trial registration, CONSORT and PRISMA. RESULTS The frequency of guidance endorsement was found to be as follows: COI 82%, URM 62%, trial registration 32%, CONSORT 29% and PRISMA 10%. Journals with a higher impact were more likely to adopt trial registration, CONSORT and PRISMA. Journals with editorial offices in the UK were more likely to insist on disclosure of COI and to endorse CONSORT. CONCLUSIONS Guidelines produced to improve publication practice have not been implemented widely by surgical journals. This may contribute to an overall poorer quality of published research. Editors of surgical journals should uniformly endorse reporting guidance and update their instructions to authors to reflect this.

scholarly journals A pragmatic and scalable strategy using mobile technology to promote sustained lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes in India and the UK: a randomised controlled trial

Diabetologia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Nanditha ◽  
Hazel Thomson ◽  
Priscilla Susairaj ◽  
Weerachai Srivanichakorn ◽  
Nick Oliver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Medical Research ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Secondary Outcomes ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Aims/hypothesis This randomised controlled trial was performed in India and the UK in people with prediabetes to study whether mobile phone short message service (SMS) text messages can be used to motivate and educate people to follow lifestyle modifications, to prevent type 2 diabetes. Methods The study was performed in people with prediabetes (n = 2062; control: n = 1031; intervention: n = 1031) defined by HbA1c ≥42 and ≤47 mmol/mol (≥6.0% and ≤6.4%). Participants were recruited from public and private sector organisations in India (men and women aged 35–55 years) and by the National Health Service (NHS) Health Checks programme in the UK (aged 40–74 years without pre-existing diabetes, cardiovascular disease or kidney disease). Allocation to the study groups was performed using a computer-generated sequence (1:1) in India and by stratified randomisation in permuted blocks in the UK. Investigators in both countries remained blinded throughout the study period. All participants received advice on a healthy lifestyle at baseline. The intervention group in addition received supportive text messages using mobile phone SMS messages 2–3 times per week. Participants were assessed at baseline and at 6, 12 and 24 months. The primary outcome was conversion to type 2 diabetes and secondary outcomes included anthropometry, biochemistry, dietary and physical activity changes, blood pressure and quality of life. Results At the 2 year follow-up (n = 2062; control: n = 1031; intervention: n = 1031), in the intention-to-treat population the HR for development of type 2 diabetes calculated using a discrete-time proportional hazards model was 0.89 (95% CI 0.74, 1.07; p = 0.22). There were no significant differences in the secondary outcomes. Conclusions/interpretation This trial in two countries with varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds showed no significant reduction in the progression to diabetes in 2 years by lifestyle modification using SMS messaging. Trial registration The primary study was registered on www.ClinicalTrials.gov (India, NCT01570946; UK, NCT01795833). Funding The study was funded jointly by the Indian Council for Medical Research and the UK Medical Research Council.

Partner‐specific relationship characteristics and condom use among young people with sexually transmitted diseases

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry P. Katz ◽  
J. Dennis Fortenberry ◽  
Gregory D. Zimet ◽  
Margaret J. Blythe ◽  
Donald P. Orr
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Diseases ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Specific Relationship

scholarly journals A randomised controlled trial of an intervention delivered by app instant messaging to increase the acceptability of effective contraception among young people in Tajikistan: study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e017606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ona McCarthy ◽  
Baptiste Leurent ◽  
Phil Edwards ◽  
Ravshan Tokhirov ◽  
Caroline Free
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Tropical Medicine ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
London School ◽  
Effective Contraception ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionWomen in lower income countries experience unintended pregnancies at a higher rate compared with women in higher income countries. Unintended pregnancy is associated with numerous poorer health outcomes for both women and their children. In Tajikistan, an estimated 26% of married individuals aged 15–24 years have an unmet need for contraception. The strong cultural value placed on childbearing and oppositional attitudes towards contraception are major barriers to contraceptive uptake in the country.Mobile phone ownership is widespread in Tajikistan. The option of receiving reproductive health support on your personal phone may be an appealing alternative to attending a clinic, particularly for young people. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Tajik Family Planning Association have partnered to develop and evaluate a contraceptive behavioural intervention delivered by mobile phone. The intervention was developed in 2015–2016 guided by behavioural science. It consists of short instant messages sent through an app over 4 months, contains information about contraception and behaviour change methods.Methods and analysisThis randomised controlled trial is designed to evaluate the effect of the intervention on self-reported acceptability of effective contraception at 4 months. 570 men and women aged 16–24 years will be allocated with a ratio of 1:1 to receive the intervention messages or the control messages about trial participation. The messages will be sent through the Tajik Family Planning Association’s ‘healthy lifestyles’ app, which contains basic information about contraception.Ethics and disseminationThe trial was granted ethical approval by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Interventions Research Ethics Committee on 16 May 2016 and by the Tajik National Scientific and Research Centre on Paediatrics and Child Surgery on 15 April 2016. The results of the trial will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed academic journals and disseminated to study stakeholders.Trial registration numberClinicaltrial.govNCT02905513.Date of registration14 September 2016.WHO trial registration datasethttp://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NCT02905513

Mediation of an efficacious HIV risk reduction intervention for adolescents: A cluster-randomised controlled trial

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (13) ◽  
pp. 1884-1896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Morales ◽  
José P Espada ◽  
Mireia Orgilés
Keyword(s):  
Condom Use ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Consistent Condom ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Consistent Condom Use ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Healthy Sexuality ◽  
Randomised Controlled

The ‘Cuidate’ programme for adolescents in Spain has proven to be effective for promoting healthy sexuality ( N = 626), but the mechanisms underlying its effects are unknown. This study aimed to identify mediators of the intervention’s effects compared to a control group. Participants were students from five areas of Spain, who completed baseline, immediate-posttest, 12-month and 24-month follow-up assessments. Mediation analyses revealed that ‘Cuidate’ positively affected consistent condom use indirectly through knowledge in serial with the intention to use condoms. The findings underscore the importance of targeting knowledge on HIV and sexually transmitted infections to promote condom use intention and consistent condom use.

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