Trial reportBMJ open2023
A qualitative study exploring experiences of the safetxt digital health intervention to reduce sexually transmitted infections in young people in the UK.
Trial report in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Digital Health Interventions to Promote Safer Sex Behaviors Among Youth: Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Empowering women at risk: exploring the impact of accountability partners and whatsapp groups on PrEP utilization in Soweto, South Africa.BMC public health · 2025Article
- 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
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesPeople aged 16-24 are more likely than other age groups to acquire sexually transmitted infections (STI). Safetxt was a randomised controlled trial of a theory-based digital health intervention to reduce STIs among 16-24 year-old people in the UK. We report results of qualitative research regarding participants' perceptions and experiences of the intervention and trial participation.
designQualitative thematic analysis following a critical realist paradigm of written open feedback comments provided in the 12-month follow-up questionnaire and semistructured interviews.
settingSafetxt trial participants were recruited from UK sexual health clinics.
participantsTrial inclusion criteria: people aged 16-24 diagnosed with or treated for chlamydia, gonorrhoea or non-specific urethritis. Optional open feedback provided by 3526 of 6248 safetxt participants at 12 months and interviews with a purposive sample of 18 participants after the trial.
resultsWe summarise and report results in seven broad themes. According to recipients, the safetxt intervention increased awareness of the importance of avoiding STIs and ways to prevent them. Participants reported improved confidence, agency, sexual well-being and communication about sexual health with partners, friends and family. Recipients attributed increased condom use, increased STI testing after (rather than before) sex with new partners, and more confident partner notification to the intervention. Recipients described a reduced sense of isolation and stigma in having an STI. Control group participants reported that having had an STI and receiving control texts asking them to report any changes in contact details acted as reminders to use condoms and get tested. We also summarise participant recommendations for future interventions and studies.
conclusionsWhile control group participants reported precautionary behaviours were 'triggered' by trial participation, intervention recipients reported additional benefits of the intervention in increasing precautionary behaviours and in broader aspects of sexual health such as confidence, communication, emotional well-being and agency.
trial registrationISRCTN registry ISRCTN64390461.
Indexed as
Identifiers
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.