"If everyone does it, it's not a big deal." Young people talk about chlamydia testing.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to explore young people's attitudes to chlamydia testing. Data were gathered to inform the development of a clinical trial aimed at increasing chlamydia testing among 16-24 year olds.


METHODS
Four single sex focus groups were conducted with 16-24 year old males and females (n=28), and one with health professionals working with this age-group (n=7). A semi-structured interview schedule was used to discuss barriers to chlamydia testing, methods of accessing testing, communicating information about chlamydia and ideas about ways to encourage testing.


RESULTS
Reasons for not seeking testing included fear, stigma, denial of personal risk, and a lack of knowledge about chlamydia and about testing procedures. Better education and a need to 'normalise' testing were suggested as ways to increase test-uptake. Preferences for places to seek testing varied among participants, but all groups supported routinely offered chlamydia testing when visiting the doctor for other reasons. Participants also favoured the concept of home-testing.


CONCLUSIONS
Young people identified a number of barriers to chlamydia testing, as well as ways to increase testing. These findings can be used to inform the development of much needed new initiatives to control chlamydia in New Zealand.
Rose
Sally B
SB
Women's Health Research Centre, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 7343, Wellington, New Zealand. Sally.Rose@otago.ac.nz
Smith
M Camille
MC
Lawton
Beverley A
BA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand