Are printed sexually transmissible infection materials for patients appropriate? A physician perspective
Asaduzzaman Khan A C and David Plummer BA Social Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
B School of Education, University of the West Indies, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
C Corresponding author. Email: a.khan2@uq.edu.au
Sexual Health 5(3) 307-308 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH08012
Submitted: 11 February 2008 Accepted: 25 February 2008 Published: 6 August 2008
Abstract
The data from a postal survey of 409 general practitioners (GPs) practicing in New South Wales are analysed to explore GPs’ concerns, if any, about available printed information materials on sexually transmissible infections (STI) for patients. Just over half (55%) of GPs considered the materials for patients to be inadequate and/or inappropriate with 18% considering the materials as too technical for many patients and 13% considering the materials mostly out of date. Over a fifth reported that either STI materials were not available in their clinic or they did not know where to get those materials.
Additional keywords: information materials.
Acknowledgements
We are deeply indebted to Professors Rafat Hussain and Victor Minichiello for their valuable inputs in developing and implementing the survey. We are also grateful to Dr David Bradford, Past President of the Australasian College of Sexual Health Physicians for his ongoing support and valuable advice during the study. Our thanks also go to Drs Suzanne Robertson, Elizabeth Pringle, Miriam Grotowski and Jan Browne for their valuable input in developing the study instruments. We are very grateful to all GPs who participated in the study. An Institutional Research Grant from the University of New England supported the study.
[1] Rogstad K, Bramham L, Lowbury R, Kinghorn G. Use of a leaflet to replace verbal pretest discussion for HIV: effects and acceptability. Sex Transm Infect 2003; 79 243–5.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed |
[2] Das S, Huengsberg M, Radcliffe K. Impact of information leaflets on HIV test uptake amongst GUM clinic attendees: an update. Int J STD AIDS 2004; 15 422–3.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
[3] Giles M, Garland S. A study of women’s knowledge regarding human papillomavirus infection, cervical cancer and human papillomavirus vaccines. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2006; 46 311–15.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
[4] Hillier L, Warr D, Haste B. Rural youth: HIV/STD knowledge levels and sources of information. Aust J Rural Health 1998; 6 18–26.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed |
[5] Pitts M, Dyson S, Rosenthal D, Garland S. Knowledge and awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV): attitudes towards HPV vaccination among a representative sample of women in Victoria, Australia. Sex Health 2007; 4 177–80.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
[6] Browne J, Minichiello V. Issues in clinical care of people being tested/treated for sexually transmissible infections. Venereology 1998; 11 26–30.
[7] Khan A, Plummer D, Hussain R, Minichiello V. Sexual risk assessment in general practice: evidence from a NSW survey. Sex Health 2007; 4 1–8.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
[8] Garland S. Human papillomavirus vaccines: challenges to implementation. Sex Health 2006; 3 63–5.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
[9] Braun V, Gavey N. ‘With the best of reasons’: cervical cancer prevention policy and the suppression of sexual risk factor information. Soc Sci Med 1999; 48 1463–73.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed |
[10] McCaffery K, Forrest S, Waller J, Desai M, Szarewski A, Wardle J. Attitudes towards HPV testing: a qualitative study of beliefs among Indian, Pakistani, African-Caribbean and white British women in the UK. Br J Cancer 2003; 88 42–6.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed |
[11] McIntosh A, Shaw C. Barriers to patient information provision in primary care: patients’ and general practitioners’ experiences and expectations of information for low back pain. Health Expect 2003; 6 19–29.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
