Developing a psychosocial index of women's sexual health risk for use in community settings

Many GP surgeries now offer testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as contraceptive advice and supply. In order to target these interventions, an evidence-based means of identifying women at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI) acquisition and unintended pregnancy is needed. Preliminary evidence suggests psychosocial variables may be acceptable as risk assessment questions (in the form of a clinical ‘index’) and effective in predicting sexual risk.

The study is being led by Natalie Edelman and is funded by the NIHR under the Doctoral Research Fellowship scheme.

Involving members of the public to ensure this research is acceptable is an important part of this study. Read a plain English summary of some of the study findings, co-written with lay women (pdf)

Project timescale

The project began in October 2013 and is due to be completed in 2018

Project aims

This study aims to develop a psychosocial index of women’s sexual health risk for use in General Practice, through the following objectives:

  • Identifying existing associations between sexual risk and psychosocial factors, from probability surveys of women in the Western World (using systematic review and analysis of Britain’s National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles-3)
  • Determining which combination of identified psychosocial factors predicts the most variance in sexual risk among women attending General Practice (using a cross-sectional survey design)
  • Deriving a psychosocial index (using multivariable regression modelling)
  • Examining face validity and preferences for delivery and completion (using cognitive interviewing techniques)

 

Project findings and impact

For preliminary findings, please see the publications listed below under Output.

 

Research team

Natalie Edelman

Professor Jackie Cassell (BSMS)

Dr Catherine Mercer (UCL)

Dr Richard de Visser (UoS)

Outputs

Edelman N. et al. A systematic review of associations between substance use and sexual risk behaviour, stis and unplanned pregnancy in women (p59) Sexually Transmitted Infections supplement 1 pages a35

Edelman N. et al. Associations between substance use and sexual risk behaviour among women aged 16–44 years: evidence from Britain’s third national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles (natsal-3) (p60) Sexually Transmitted Infections supplement 1 pages a35

Edelman N. et al. Targeting sexual health services in primary care:A systematic review of the psychosocial correlates of adverse sexual health outcomes reported in probability surveys of women of reproductive age Preventive Medicine (in press)

Edelman N. et al. (2015) Which psychosocial factors are associated with poor sexual health outcomes in women of reproductive age? A systematic review of probability surveys Poster presentation at the International Society for the Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research conference 8-12th Sept 2015, Brisbane Australia

Partners

University of Sussex

Brighton and Sussex Medical School

University College London