Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41506900›Full record

ArticleSexually transmitted infections2026

Recommendations for developing asynchronous online consultations for chlamydia treatment for underserved populations: a Behaviour Change Wheel analysis.

Claudia S Estcourt, Julie McLeod, Paul Flowers, Jennifer MacDonald, Fiona Mapp, John Saunders, Melvina Woode Owusu, Amelia McInnes-Dean, Nuria Gallego Márquez, Ann Blandford and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sexually transmitted infections, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Claudia S EstcourtSchool of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK claudia.estcourt@gcu.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5523-5630
Julie McLeodSchool of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6787-1511
Paul FlowersSchool of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6239-5616
Jennifer MacDonaldSchool of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Fiona MappInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0733-6036
John SaundersInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3020-9916
Melvina Woode OwusuInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2102-3802
Amelia McInnes-DeanInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0520-6174
Nuria Gallego MárquezInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0459-8738
Ann BlandfordUCL Interaction Centre (UCLIC), University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3198-7122
Pam SonnenbergInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1067-1583
Jo GibbsInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5696-0260

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPeople from underserved groups experience disproportionately poor sexual health and challenges accessing care. Asynchronous online consultations (a user completes a health questionnaire online, which is reviewed by a clinician) are being used within sexual healthcare to prescribe chlamydia treatment. Users require sufficient health and digital literacy to access online services and use them safely.

methodsWe used the PROGRESS-Plus (PROGRESS: Place of Residence, Race/Ethnicity, Occupation, Gender/Sex, Religion, Education, Socio-economic Status, Social Network; Plus: e.g., Age, Sexual Orientation, Disability) framework to guide purposive recruitment of 35 participants from diverse underserved groups, from community settings and sexual health services in contrasting areas of the UK (15 October 2021-18 March 2022). We conducted qualitative semistructured interviews and thematic analyses to derive key barriers and facilitators to using asynchronous online consultations. We applied the Behaviour Change Wheel to specify recommendations to address them.

resultsOver half of participants were from the most deprived areas and 40% were from minoritised ethnic groups. Key barriers included: lack of familiarity with online healthcare; perceived need to see a healthcare professional in person; privacy concerns; concerns about difficulty interpreting the questions; discomfort answering personal questions online. Key facilitators included: familiarity with online consultations; perceived low sexually transmitted infection risk; perceived increase in convenience, control and privacy; simple wording and design; and support while completing them. Recommendations included: increasing awareness and familiarity by promoting them offline and online and providing demonstrations and instructions on how to use them; encouraging people to choose them by highlighting available support, equivalence to in-person consultations and privacy and convenience; and reducing attrition by using simple wording and design, providing additional explanations and offering audio and visual alternatives to text.

conclusionsIncorporating these evidence-based, theoretically informed recommendations could widen access to underserved groups and increase the usability and safety of asynchronous online consultations for chlamydia treatment. Recommendations are likely to benefit all users and could be of use across health more broadly.

Indexed as

Chlamydia InfectionsVulnerable PopulationsAdolescentAdultFemaleHealth Services AccessibilityHumansInternetMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchTelemedicineUnited KingdomYoung AdultBehavioral SciencesChlamydia InfectionsQUALITATIVE RESEARCHSEXUAL HEALTHTelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID41506900
PMCPMC13539832

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.