RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Given the high rate of sexually transmissible infections among young people and limited rural access to specialist healthcare, an Australian telemedicine service was piloted. Clients' views were investigated. METHODS: All clients aged 15-24 were given a questionnaire. A sub-sample was interviewed. RESULTS: The service was used by 25 rural youths aged 15-24; 18 returned the questionnaire, 4 were interviewed. All had a telephone consultation. They reported being satisfied with the service; most preferred the telemedicine service to consulting a doctor in person. CONCLUSIONS: Online video consultations for sexual health may not yet be acceptable to young people in Australia.
Assuntos
Infecções por Chlamydia/diagnóstico , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Satisfação do Paciente/estatística & dados numéricos , População Rural/estatística & dados numéricos , Comportamento Sexual/estatística & dados numéricos , Telemedicina/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Serviços de Saúde do Adolescente/organização & administração , Austrália , Infecções por Chlamydia/epidemiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/psicologia , Projetos Piloto , Educação Sexual/estatística & dados numéricos , Comportamento Sexual/psicologia , Manejo de Espécimes/métodos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: 'TESTme' is a sexually transmissible infection (STI) screening service for Victorian young people living in rural areas. We evaluated the effectiveness of advertising for this service over an 11-month pilot period. METHODS: The advertising that was used included websites, a Facebook page, posters, flyers, business cards, wrist bands and professional development sessions for health nurses that occurred throughout the pilot period. We also used once-off methods including advertisements in newspapers, student diaries and short messages to mobile phones. RESULTS: Twenty-eight clients had a consultation through TESTme. Twenty found the service through health professionals, six through the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) web page, one through the Facebook page and one through the student diary. The total direct costs incurred by the centre for advertising were $20850. The advertising cost per client reached for each advertising method was $26 for health professionals, $80 for the MSHC web advertisement, $1408 for Facebook and $790 for the student diary. Other advertising methods cost $12248 and did not attract any clients. CONCLUSION: Advertising STI health services for rural young people would be best to focus on referrals from other health services or health care websites.