Objectives: To examine whether audio computer assisted survey interviewing (ACASI) influenced responses to sensitive HIV risk behaviour questions, relative to interviewer administration of those questions (IAQ), among patients attending a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic and whether the impact of interview mode on reporting of risk behaviours was homogeneous across subgroups of patients (defined by age, sex, and previous STI clinic experience). Methods: 1350 clinic patients were assigned to complete a detailed behavioural survey on sexual risk practices, previous STIs and symptoms, condom use, and drug and alcohol use using either ACASI or IAQ. Results: Respondents assigned to ACASI were more likely to report recent risk behaviours such as sex without a condom in the past 24 hours (adjusted OR = 1.9), anal sex (adjusted OR = 2.0), and one or more new partners in the past 6 months (adjusted OR = 1.5) compared to those interviewed by IAQ. The impact of ACASI varied by sex but, contrary to expectations, not by whether the patient had previously visited an STI clinic. Mode of survey administration made little difference within this population in reports of STI knowledge, previous STIs, STI symptoms, or illicit drug use. Conclusion: ACASI provides a useful tool for improving the quality of behavioural data in clinical environments.
These findings suggest that STIs may contribute to prostatic inflammation and cell damage in a subset of infected men. Further studies are warranted to replicate study findings and determine host and infection characteristics associated with large PSA increases.
Meeting the expectation for scholarly productivity can be challenging for nursing faculty, especially in the absence of grant or other funding. Secondary data analysis is one strategy to address this challenge. The use of existing data to test new hypotheses or answer new research questions has several advantages. It typically takes less time and resources, is low risk to participants, and allows access to large data sets and longitudinal data. Despite these advantages, limitations do exist, including a lack of knowledge of the existence of rich data sets and how to obtain and evaluate the contents, insufficient or outdated data, and lack of funds to hire staff to assist with the work. Exemplars of secondary data analysis using public government and private data sets are presented along with the skills needed to conduct this type of analysis. Secondary data analysis is an efficient and effective approach to conducting nursing research.
The YcPCR assay can detect DNA in a clinical sample of women for up to two weeks. This assay may be useful as a qualitative adjunct to behavioral studies to further understanding of sexual behavior reporting in women.
The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine gender differences in the disease experience of persons who have genital herpes. Participants were 60 volunteers (34 females, 26 males) with recurrent genital herpes. Their average age was 31.7 years and the average length of time since diagnosis was 5.3 years. They completed questionnaires that included items about disease characteristics, disease stressors, and disease impact. The majority of reported stressors related to the consequences of the disease. A wide diversity of stressors were described, and results gave evidence of gender similarities in the disease experience. Exceptions were that women reported experiencing more worry with regard to negative effects on future and present health, disruption of daily activity, and disease symptoms. Men reported that recurrences last longer. Both disease symptoms and the presence of an intimate relationship were related to the perceived disease impact. Implications for sensitive interventions are discussed.
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