Just Accepted

This article has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. It is in production and has not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Exploring Residents and Fellows’ Confidence in Sexually Transmitted Infection Management and Confidential Care for Adolescents

Cameron Wynn , Catherine Wong, MinJae Lee, Jasmine Tiro, Jenny Francis

Abstract

Background In the United States, many residents and fellows lack confidence in their ability to confidentially counsel adolescents regarding sexual health topics. Little is known about how personal and professional experiences may affect medical residents’ and fellows’ confidence in counselling adolescents about sexual health services. Methods We invited 361 residents and fellows (trainees) from paediatric, obstetrics and gynaecology, and family medicine programs at an academic medical centre in Texas to complete a survey about confidence in counselling about sexual health services. We describe respondents’ demographics, medical training, personal sexual healthcare experiences, and confidence in confidential care and STI management measured on a 4-point Likert scale. We calculated average confidence scores, dichotomised responses into confident (≥3 points) and not-so-confident (<3 points), and performed two multivariable regression analyses to explore factors associated with confidence. Results Among 228 trainees (63% response rate), 54% were confident in confidential care and 81% were confident in STI management. Those who received training in aspects of confidential care and STI management reported significantly greater confidence in many of these areas. Respondents who recalled private discussions with their personal healthcare provider as an adolescent reported confidence in STI management (p = 0.02) compared to those who did not have that experience. Conclusions Medical training should focus on communication training to address gaps in confidence, particularly regarding adolescent confidentiality. Clinicians’ personal experiences may impact aspects of confidence, highlighting the importance of encouraging trainees to reflect on how their background might influence their clinical practice.

SH24156  Accepted 26 January 2025

© CSIRO 2025