Nurses' perspectives on user-friendly self-sampling interventions for diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections among young women in eThekwini district municipality: a nominal group technique.
BMC Health Serv Res
; 24(1): 106, 2024 Jan 18.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38238703
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Syndromic management in the main non-laboratory-based management approach for sexually transmitted infections (STI) in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) but it has limitations. Self-sampling has been proven as a suitable alternative approach to help improve management STIs by improving access to diagnosis among vulnerable populations. We sought to determine health workers' perspectives on user-friendly self-sampling interventions for STIs among young women in eThekwini District Municipality.METHODS:
Healthcare workers providing STI healthcare services in the study location participated in a nominal group technique (NGT) workshop. The NGT workshop was aimed enabling collaboration with key health providers in identifying user-friendly self-sampling interventions for diagnosis of STIs among young women. Data collection was conducted in two phases phase 1 determined barrier that hinder young women from accessing current STI healthcare services and phase 2 focused on determining the key strategies for self-sampling interventions to diagnose STIs in young women. Thematic analysis and percentage form analysis were used to examine qualitative and quantitative data respectively.RESULTS:
The following barriers were identified negligence; myths about STIs; fear of judgement; denial; operating hours; lack of knowledge of STI symptoms and safe sex practices; and stigma associated with STIs. The following strategies were suggested hand out self-sampling kits at popular restaurants; collect self-sampling kits from security guard at primary healthcare clinics (PHCs); receive STI diagnostic results via SMS or email or the clinic for treatment; improve youth friendly services at PHCs; educate the public on proper use of the kits. Education about STIs and handing out self-sampling kits at clinics, universities, schools, pharmacies or via outreach teams were ranked high priority strategies.CONCLUSIONS:
The findings highlight the need to address stigma and fear of judgment and provide comprehensive education to improve healthcare-seeking behaviour in young women. Additionally, the study also indicates that using eHealth solutions could significantly enhance the accessibility and efficiency of STI healthcare services in LMICs.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
/
HIV Infections
/
Nurses
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Female
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
BMC Health Serv Res
/
BMC health serv. res. (Online)
/
BMC health services research (Online)
Journal subject:
PESQUISA EM SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Country of publication: