Observational studyJournal of medical Internet research2018
Web-Based Activity Within a Sexual Health Economy: Observational Study.
Observational study in Journal of medical Internet research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Perceptions and Experiences of Internet-Based Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections: Systematic Review and Synthesis of Qualitative Research.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Pooled it
- Does internet-accessed STI (e-STI) testing increase testing uptake for chlamydia and other STIs among a young population who have never tested? Secondary analyses of data from a randomised controlled trial.Sexually transmitted infections · 2019Trial
- Co-creating the clinical pathway for Test it, a web-accessed sexually transmitted infections testing service.NPJ digital medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- The waiting room: Unmet sexual health service needs among men and gender-diverse individuals having sex with men in England, findings from an online, cross-sectional community survey in 2024.International journal of STD & AIDS · 2026Article
- Uptake, positivity, and equity of online postal self-sampling for chlamydia testing in England: a retrospective cohort study.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2025Article
- Article
- Article
- Regular Testing of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections With Self-Collected Samples From Multiple Anatomic Sites to Monitor Sexual Health in Men Who Have Sex With Men: Longitudinal Study.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- Access to, usage and clinic outcomes of, online postal sexually transmitted infection services: a scoping review.Sexually transmitted infections · 2022Review
- What can be learnt from a qualitative evaluation of implementing a rapid sexual health testing, diagnosis and treatment service?BMJ open · 2021Article
- Two-Way Text Messaging to Support Self-Care and Delivery of an Online Sexual Health Service: Mixed Methods Evaluation.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Article
- Modelling patient flows and resource use within a sexual health clinic through discrete event simulation to inform service redesign.BMJ open · 2020Article
- Communication Strategies Used to Obtain Clinical Histories Before Remotely Prescribing Antibiotics for Postal Treatment of Uncomplicated Genital Chlamydia: Service Evaluation.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Article
- "Putting people in charge of their own health and care?" Using meta-narrative review and the example of online sexual health services to re-think relationships between e-health and agency.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2019Review
- Choose to test: self-selected testing for sexually transmitted infections within an online service.Sexually transmitted infections · 2019Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRegular testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is important to maintain sexual health. Self-sampling kits ordered online and delivered in the post may increase access, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Sexual health economies may target limited resources more effectively by signposting users toward Web-based or face-to-face services according to clinical need.
objectiveThe aim of this paper was to investigate the impact of two interventions on testing activity across a whole sexual health economy: (1) the introduction of open access Web-based STI testing services and (2) a clinic policy of triage and signpost online where users without symptoms who attended clinics for STI testing were supported to access the Web-based service instead.
methodsData on attendances at all specialist public sexual health providers in an inner-London area were collated into a single database. Each record included information on user demographics, service type accessed, and clinical activity provided, including test results. Clinical activity was categorized as a simple STI test (could be done in a clinic or online), a complex visit (requiring face-to-face consultation), or other.
resultsIntroduction of Web-based services increased total testing activity across the whole sexual health economy by 18.47% (from 36,373 to 43,091 in the same 6-month period-2014-2015 and 2015-2016), suggesting unmet need for testing in the area. Triage and signposting shifted activity out of the clinic onto the Web-based service, with simple STI testing in the clinic decreasing from 16.90% (920/5443) to 12.25% (511/4172) of total activity, P<.001, and complex activity in the clinic increasing from 69.15% (3764/5443) to 74.86% (3123/4172) of total activity, P<.001. This intervention created a new population of online users with different demographic and clinical profiles from those who use Web-based services spontaneously. Some triage and signposted users (29.62%, 375/1266) did not complete the Web-based testing process, suggesting the potential for missed diagnoses.
conclusionsThis evaluation shows that users can effectively be transitioned from face-to-face to Web-based services and that this introduces a new population to Web-based service use and changes the focus of clinic-based activity. Further development is underway to optimize the triage and signposting process to support test completion.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.