scholarly journals Patient Perception of Mobile Phone Apps for the Care and Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Cross-Sectional Study

10.2196/16517 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. e16517
Author(s):  
Lena Jakob ◽  
Theresa Steeb ◽  
Zeno Fiocco ◽  
Teodora Pumnea ◽  
Sophia Nomi Jakob ◽  
...  

Background In the emerging era of digitalization and electronic health, various health-related apps have been launched, including apps for sexually transmitted diseases. Until now, little has been known about how patients perceive the value of such apps. Objective To investigate patient’s attitudes and awareness toward sexually transmitted disease–related apps in an outpatient sexually transmitted disease clinic setting. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at a dermatovenereological outpatient unit between April and July 2019. Patients completed a self-administered questionnaire on their perceptions of the popularity and usefulness of sexually transmitted disease–related apps. Descriptive analysis was performed with expression of categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. For continuous variables, the median, range, and interquartile range were indicated. Contingency tables and chi-square tests were used to investigate associations between sociodemographic data and items of the questionnaire. Results A total of 226 patients were surveyed (heterosexual: 137/193, 71.0%; homosexual: 44/193, 22.8%; bisexual: 12/193, 6.2%); 11.9% (27/225) had previously used health-related apps. Nearly half of the patients (97/214, 45.3%) specifically considered sexually transmitted disease–related apps useful, 47.8% (100/209) voted that they could supplement or support the consultation of a physician. Interestingly, only 35.1% (74/211) preferred a printed patient brochure on sexually transmitted diseases over downloading and using an app, but 64.0% (134/209) would download a sexually transmitted disease–related app recommended by their physician. General information regarding sexually transmitted diseases (93/167, 55.7%), evaluation of skin diseases based on photos or videos (78/167, 53.3%), information on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (76/167, 45.5%), mediation of nearby contact points or test sites (74/167, 44.3%), anonymous medical advice (69/167, 41.3%), and calculation of the risk of having a sexually transmitted disease (63/167, 37.3%) were rated as the most important features. Men were more likely than women to find sexually transmitted disease–related apps useful in general (P=.04; χ2=6.28) and to pay for such apps (P=.01; χ2=9.19). Patients aged <40 years would rather download an app recommended by their physician (P=.03; χ2=7.23), whereas patients aged >40 years preferred reading a patient brochure on sexually transmitted diseases (P=.02; χ2=8.14). Conclusions This study demonstrated high general interest in the use of sexually transmitted disease–related apps in this sample of dermatovenereological outpatients. In particular, young age and male sex were significantly associated with a positive perception, underlining the high potential of apps in the prevention and early recognition of sexually transmitted diseases in this group. Future studies are warranted to validate these findings in other populations.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Jakob ◽  
Theresa Steeb ◽  
Zeno Fiocco ◽  
Teodora Pumnea ◽  
Sophia Nomi Jakob ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND In the emerging era of digitalization and electronic health, various health-related apps have been launched, including apps for sexually transmitted diseases. Until now, little has been known about how patients perceive the value of such apps. OBJECTIVE To investigate patient’s attitudes and awareness toward sexually transmitted disease–related apps in an outpatient sexually transmitted disease clinic setting. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted at a dermatovenereological outpatient unit between April and July 2019. Patients completed a self-administered questionnaire on their perceptions of the popularity and usefulness of sexually transmitted disease–related apps. Descriptive analysis was performed with expression of categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. For continuous variables, the median, range, and interquartile range were indicated. Contingency tables and chi-square tests were used to investigate associations between sociodemographic data and items of the questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 226 patients were surveyed (heterosexual: 137/193, 71.0%; homosexual: 44/193, 22.8%; bisexual: 12/193, 6.2%); 11.9% (27/225) had previously used health-related apps. Nearly half of the patients (97/214, 45.3%) specifically considered sexually transmitted disease–related apps useful, 47.8% (100/209) voted that they could supplement or support the consultation of a physician. Interestingly, only 35.1% (74/211) preferred a printed patient brochure on sexually transmitted diseases over downloading and using an app, but 64.0% (134/209) would download a sexually transmitted disease–related app recommended by their physician. General information regarding sexually transmitted diseases (93/167, 55.7%), evaluation of skin diseases based on photos or videos (78/167, 53.3%), information on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (76/167, 45.5%), mediation of nearby contact points or test sites (74/167, 44.3%), anonymous medical advice (69/167, 41.3%), and calculation of the risk of having a sexually transmitted disease (63/167, 37.3%) were rated as the most important features. Men were more likely than women to find sexually transmitted disease–related apps useful in general (<i>P</i>=.04; χ<sup>2</sup>=6.28) and to pay for such apps (<i>P</i>=.01; χ<sup>2</sup>=9.19). Patients aged &lt;40 years would rather download an app recommended by their physician (<i>P</i>=.03; χ<sup>2</sup>=7.23), whereas patients aged &gt;40 years preferred reading a patient brochure on sexually transmitted diseases (<i>P</i>=.02; χ<sup>2</sup>=8.14). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated high general interest in the use of sexually transmitted disease–related apps in this sample of dermatovenereological outpatients. In particular, young age and male sex were significantly associated with a positive perception, underlining the high potential of apps in the prevention and early recognition of sexually transmitted diseases in this group. Future studies are warranted to validate these findings in other populations.


Author(s):  
Kate Emond ◽  
Melanie Bish ◽  
Michael Savic ◽  
Dan I. Lubman ◽  
Terence McCann ◽  
...  

Mental-health-related presentations account for a considerable proportion of the paramedic’s workload in prehospital care. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the perceived confidence and preparedness of paramedics in Australian metropolitan and rural areas to manage mental-health-related presentations. Overall, 1140 paramedics were surveyed. Pearson chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to compare categorical variables by sex and location of practice; continuous variables were compared using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Perceived confidence and preparedness were each modelled in multivariable ordinal regressions. Female paramedics were younger with higher qualifications but were less experienced than their male counterparts. Compared to paramedics working in metropolitan regions, those working in rural and regional areas were generally older with fewer qualifications and were significantly less confident and less prepared to manage mental health presentations (p = 0.001). Compared to male paramedics, females were less confident (p = 0.003), although equally prepared (p = 0.1) to manage mental health presentations. These results suggest that higher qualifications from the tertiary sector may not be adequately preparing paramedics to manage mental health presentations, which signifies a disparity between education provided and workforce preparedness. Further work is required to address the education and training requirements of paramedics in regional and rural areas to increase confidence and preparedness in managing mental health presentations.


Author(s):  
Deepak Anand ◽  
Khurshid Parveen ◽  
Gyan Prakash

Background: Providing information about changes during adolescence and sexually transmitted diseases is an important means of promoting healthy development and reducing negative outcomes of social behaviors in adolescents. For this purpose we must know their level of knowledge. So this study was designed to assess the knowledge of male students of class VIth to IXth about issues related to adolescence, their attitude for sexuality related problem and their source of information.Methods: It is a cross-sectional study, sample size was 400. Data was collected between August 2017 and December 2017 by using structured questionnaire.Results: Regarding physical changes 4.5% students have no knowledge, 58.75% have some knowledge and 36.75% have satisfactory knowledge. Whereas 9.75% have no knowledge, 80.75% have some knowledge and 9.50% have satisfactory knowledge regarding sexually transmitted diseases. Only 24.75% students knew legal age for marriage.Conclusions: It was found in study that majority of students do not have satisfactory knowledge and there is a need for targeted education for providing proper knowledge.


2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 628-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Alves Guimarães ◽  
Leandro Nascimento da Silva ◽  
Divânia Dias da Silva França ◽  
Nativa Helena Alves Del-Rios ◽  
Megmar Aparecida dos Santos Carneiro ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectives: to investigate the prevalence and risk behaviors by means of reporting of sexually transmitted diseases among crack users.Method: cross-sectional study carried out with 588 crack users in a referral care unit for the treatment of chemical dependency. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interview and analyzed using Stata statistical software, version 8.0.Results: of the total participants, 154 (26.2%; 95% CI: 22.8-29.9) reported antecedents of sexually transmitted diseases. Ages between 25 and 30 years (RP: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.0-4.0) and over 30 years (RP: 3.8; 95% CI: 2.1-6.8), alcohol consumption (RP: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.3), antecedents of prostitution (RP: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.9) and sexual intercourse with person living with human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS (RP: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.8-4.2) were independently associated with reporting of sexually transmitted diseases.Conclusion: the results of this study suggest high risk and vulnerability of crack users for sexually transmitted diseases.


2003 ◽  
Vol 40 (140) ◽  
pp. 172-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudha Agrawal ◽  
V K Garg ◽  
A Agarwalla ◽  
M Deb

A hospital based prospective cross sectional study was under taken over one-yearperiod from April 1998 to March 1999 to study the clinical profile and sexual behaviorin sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) patients at Dermatology and Venereology OPDat BPKIHS, Dharan, Nepal. A total of 105 patients giving history suggestive of STDswere studied. These patients were also enquired for their sexual behaviors. Therewere 85 males and 20 females; and the majority (55.2%) was in the age group of 21-30 years. Most of the patients (25.7%) were students followed by housewives (17.2%).service holders (13.3%), businessmen (13.3%), unemployed (9.5%) and fanners(8.5%).. Literates were 80%. Sixty-eight percent males and 90% females were married.Majority of the males contracted infection from CSW (58.8%). Females got theinfection from husbands and friends. More than 50% of male had multiple partnerswhereas in case of females it was only 5%. Homosexual and bisexual were 3.5% and4.7% respectively in males. Unprotected sexual contact was found in 94.1% of malesand 100% of females. Syphilis (30.5%) was the commonest type of STD followed bygonorrhea (14.3%), genital warts (14.3%), chancroid (6.7%), candidiasis (6.7%),herpes genitalis (5.7%), mixed infection (4.7%), donovanosis (2.8%), andLymphogranuloma venereum (0.9%). In homosexual and bisexual, only NGU andsyphilis were seen. STDs constituted 0.97% of all new dermatology patients. In spiteof high proportion of promiscuous sexual behavior, there was only one HIV positivepatient.Key Words: Clinical profile, Sexual behavior, STD patients, Nepal.


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