Testing times: testing patient acceptance and ability to self-screen for a No-Talk Testing service. (May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fernando, I; Thompson, C
• Is Part Of: International journal of STD & AIDS. Volume 24:Number 5(2013)
• Page Start: 341
• Page End: 344
• Publication Date: 2013-05
• Subjects: sexually transmitted infections -- HIV -- high-risk behaviour -- screening -- sexual behaviour -- sexual health service -- asymptomatic screening; Sexually transmitted diseases -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Periodicals; 616.951
• DOI: 10.1177/0956462412472835
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-4624

Abstract

Summary: Genitourinary medicine (GUM) departments need to be resource efficient to manage the increasing numbers of patients seeking to access services. At the Edinburgh GUM department, we wished to develop a new No-Talk Testing (NTT) clinic for asymptomatic, low-risk patients attending for routine sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. We undertook a questionnaire feasibility study to determine patient acceptability and ability to self-screen for this service. A total of 267 respondents completed questionnaires regarding acceptability of a future NTT service; 227 agreed to comparison of their self-screen with clinician risk-assessment. Overall, patient acceptability for a future NTT service was high, with an average of 7.8/10 awarded for opinion. Seventy-three percent of patients agreed they would consider utilizing such a service in the future. Sixty-one percent of respondents suggested at least one benefit to a future NTT service; principally, prospects for increased speed, efficiency, capacity and reduced waiting times. Comparing STI risk self-assessment with clinician assessment, discrepancies were identified for 37% of individuals. However, a majority (70%) of the discrepancies identified were due to a risk being noted in the self-screen alone, and missed from clinician notes. In summary, the study demonstrated NTT as acceptable and feasible. Based on these results, we have now successfully introduced such a service within our department.