Acceptability of self-collecting oropharyngeal swabs for sexually transmissible infection testing among men and women
Derek T. Dangerfield
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
B The REACH Initiative, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 855 N Wolfe Street, Suite 601, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
C Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
D Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 212105, USA.
E Corresponding author. Email: ddanger2@jhu.edu
Sexual Health 16(3) 296-298 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH18209
Submitted: 5 November 2018 Accepted: 1 February 2019 Published: 22 March 2019
Abstract
In 2016, the rate of USA gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases increased by 18.6% and 6.9% respectively. Most people infected are asymptomatic and are not treated immediately, which negatively affects sexually transmissible infection (STI)/HIV rates. Men and women were asked to provide self-collected oropharyngeal specimens for STI testing (n = 79). Over 75% reported the collection of the swab was ‘easy’ or ‘very easy’ to use; 90% were willing to test for STIs at home in the future. Self-collecting oropharyngeal swabs for STI testing is acceptable among men and women. Future research should test the effect of self-collecting pharyngeal swabs on STI testing behaviours and results.
Additional keywords: chlamydia, gonorrhoea, screening, self-test.
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