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Clifton S, Mercer CH, Sonnenberg P, et al. STI Risk Perception in the British Population and How It Relates to Sexual Behaviour and STI Healthcare Use: Findings From a Cross-sectional Survey (Natsal-3). EClinicalMedicine. 2018;2:29-36doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.08.001.
Clifton, S., Mercer, C. H., Sonnenberg, P., Tanton, C., Field, N., Gravningen, K., Hughes, G., Mapp, F., & Johnson, A. M. (2018). STI Risk Perception in the British Population and How It Relates to Sexual Behaviour and STI Healthcare Use: Findings From a Cross-sectional Survey (Natsal-3). EClinicalMedicine, 229-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.08.001
Clifton, Soazig, et al. "STI Risk Perception in the British Population and How It Relates to Sexual Behaviour and STI Healthcare Use: Findings From a Cross-sectional Survey (Natsal-3)." EClinicalMedicine vol. 2 (2018): 29-36. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.08.001
Clifton S, Mercer CH, Sonnenberg P, Tanton C, Field N, Gravningen K, Hughes G, Mapp F, Johnson AM. STI Risk Perception in the British Population and How It Relates to Sexual Behaviour and STI Healthcare Use: Findings From a Cross-sectional Survey (Natsal-3). EClinicalMedicine. 2018 Aug-Sep;2:29-36. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.08.001. PMID: 30320305; PMCID: PMC6180228.
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EClinicalMedicine. 2018 Aug-Sep;2:29-36. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.08.001.

STI Risk Perception in the British Population and How It Relates to Sexual Behaviour and STI Healthcare Use: Findings From a Cross-sectional Survey (Natsal-3).

EClinicalMedicine

Soazig Clifton, Catherine H Mercer, Pam Sonnenberg, Clare Tanton, Nigel Field, Kirsten Gravningen, Gwenda Hughes, Fiona Mapp, Anne M Johnson

Affiliations

  1. Institute for Global Health, University College London, Mortimer Market Centre, London WC1E 6JB, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
  2. Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Northern Norway, Sykehusvegen 38, 9019 Tromsø, Norway.
  3. HIV and STI Department, Public Health England, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

PMID: 30320305 PMCID: PMC6180228 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.08.001

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We investigated how STI risk perception relates to behavioural STI risk and STI healthcare (sexual health clinic attendance/chlamydia testing) in the British population.

METHODS: Natsal-3, a national probability-sample survey undertaken 2010-12, included 8397 sexually-active 16-44 year-olds. Participants rated their risk of STIs (excluding HIV) given their current sexual lifestyle. Urine from a randomly-selected sub-sample of participants (n = 4550) was tested for prevalent STIs (

FINDINGS: Most men (64% (95% CI: 62-66)) and women (73% (72-74)) rated themselves as not at all at risk of STIs, 30% (29-32) men and 23% (22-25) women self-rated as not very much, and 5% (5-6) men and 3% (3-4) women as greatly/quite a lot at risk. Although those reporting STI risk behaviours were more likely to perceive themselves as at risk, > 70% men and > 85% women classified as having had unsafe sex in the past year, and similar proportions of those with a prevalent STI, perceived themselves as not at all or not very much at risk. Increased risk perception was associated with greater STI healthcare-use (past year), although not after adjusting for sexual behaviour, indicating in a mediation analysis that risk perception was neither necessary or sufficient for seeking care Furthermore, 58% (48-67) men and 31% (22-41) women who had unsafe sex (past year) and rated themselves as greatly/quite a lot at risk had neither attended nor tested.

INTERPRETATION: Many people at risk of STIs in Britain underestimated their risk, and many who correctly perceived themselves to be at risk had not recently accessed STI healthcare. Health promotion needs to address this mismatch and ensure that people access healthcare appropriate to their needs.

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