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Undetected and untreated infection with Chlamydia (CT) and/or gonorrhoea (non-gonoccal cervitis, NGC) can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can result in infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pain. Given that most infections are asymptomatic, early detection through screening is an important measure to reduce the incidence of PID and its outcomes. In many jurisdictions, screening guidelines recommend that sexually active women under age 25 be screened annually and that women with a new or multiple partners in the previous 3 months also be screened. Despite the high prevalence of these infections, particularly CT, many sexually active young women, including those with new partners, do not seek out STI screening.
Chacko, Wiemann, Kozinetz, et al. (2006) conducted a study to measure the stage of readiness to seek CT/ NGC screening after having sex with a new partner among young women accessing reproductive health care. The sample for the study consisted of 376 mostly African American young women with an average age of 18.5 years. To assess the subject's readiness to seek screening, the authors used the transtheoretical model of change which recognizes that individuals go through a series of motivational stages in the adoption of a health behaviour (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance). Identifying the stage an individual or group is at in the stages of change can be useful in designing effective interventions to promote the adoption of a specific behaviour. The study participants filled out questionnaires that addressed a range of sexuality attitudes and behaviours. Participants were asked how serious they thought it would be if they had an STI not including HIV. For the study, a "new partner" was defined as "... sexual partner with whom the participant had been having sex for less than 6 months" (p. 76). In addition, participants were asked,
"How ready are you to get screened for gonorrhea and ...
Source: HighBeam Research, Perceived seriousness of acquiring an STI influences readiness to...