Barriers to asymptomatic screening and other STD services for adolescents and young adults: focus group discussions

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  • Tilson, Elizabeth C
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health
  • Sanchez, Victoria
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health
  • Ford, Chandra L
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health
  • Smurzynski, Marlene
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health
  • Leone, Peter A
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine
    • Other Affiliation: Wake County Human Services-Public Health Center
  • Fox, Kimberley K
    • Other Affiliation: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health
  • Irwin, Kathleen
  • Miller, William
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine
Abstract
  • Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major public health problem among young people and can lead to the spread of HIV. Previous studies have primarily addressed barriers to STD care for symptomatic patients. The purpose of our study was to identify perceptions about existing barriers to and ideal services for STDs, especially asymptomatic screening, among young people in a southeastern community. Methods: Eight focus group discussions including 53 White, African American, and Latino youth (age 14–24) were conducted. Results: Perceived barriers to care included lack of knowledge of STDs and available services, cost, shame associated with seeking services, long clinic waiting times, discrimination, and urethral specimen collection methods. Perceived features of ideal STD services included locations close to familiar places, extended hours, and urine-based screening. Television was perceived as the most effective route of disseminating STD information. Conclusions: Further research is warranted to evaluate improving convenience, efficiency, and privacy of existing services; adding urine-based screening and new services closer to neighborhoods; and using mass media to disseminate STD information as strategies to increase STD screening.
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Resource type
  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Rights holder
  • Elizabeth C Tilson et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Journal title
  • BMC Public Health
Journal volume
  • 4
Journal issue
  • 1
Page start
  • 21
Language
  • English
Is the article or chapter peer-reviewed?
  • Yes
ISSN
  • 1471-2458
Bibliographic citation
  • BMC Public Health. 2004 Jun 09;4(1):21
Publisher
  • BioMed Central Ltd
Access right
  • Open Access
Date uploaded
  • September 5, 2012

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