A Web—Based Respondent Driven Sampling Pilot Targeting Young People at Risk for Chlamydia Trachomatis in Social and Sexual Networks with Testing: A Use Evaluation

Kevin Theunissen, Christian Hoebe, Gerjo Kok, Rik Crutzen, Chakib Kara-Zaïtri, Nanne De Vries, Jan Van Bergen, Robert Hamilton, Marianne Van der Sande and Nicole Dukers-Muijrers
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Kevin Theunissen: Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, South Limburg Public Health Services, 6160 HA, Geleen, The Netherlands
Christian Hoebe: Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, South Limburg Public Health Services, 6160 HA, Geleen, The Netherlands
Gerjo Kok: Department of Work & Social Psychology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Rik Crutzen: Department of Health Promotion, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht 6202 AZ, The Netherlands
Chakib Kara-Zaïtri: Faculty of Engineering and Informatics. University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
Nanne De Vries: Department of Health Promotion, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht 6202 AZ, The Netherlands
Jan Van Bergen: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, RIVM National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands
Robert Hamilton: In-Fact, Bradford BD17 7DB, UK
Marianne Van der Sande: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, RIVM National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands
Nicole Dukers-Muijrers: Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, South Limburg Public Health Services, 6160 HA, Geleen, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: Background: With the aim of targeting high-risk hidden heterosexual young people for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) testing, an innovative web-based screening strategy using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) and home-based CT testing, was developed, piloted and evaluated. Methods: Two STI clinic nurses encouraged 37 CT positive heterosexual young people (aged 16–25 years), called index clients, to recruit peers from their social and sexual networks using the web-based screening strategy. Eligible peers (young, living in the study area) could request a home-based CT test and recruit other peers. Results: Twelve (40%) index clients recruited 35 peers. Two of these peers recruited other peers (n = 7). In total, 35 recruited peers were eligible for participation; ten of them (29%) requested a test and eight tested. Seven tested for the first time and one (13%) was positive. Most peers were female friends (80%). Nurses were positive about using the strategy. Conclusions: The screening strategy is feasible for targeting the hidden social network. However, uptake among men and recruitment of sex-partners is low and RDS stopped early. Future studies are needed to explore the sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and impact of strategies that target people at risk who are not effectively reached by regular health care.

Keywords: Chlamydia trachomatis; web-based respondent driven sampling; peer-referral; social networks; sexual networks; partner notification; home-based test kits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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