Development of a Behavior Change Intervention to Improve Sexual Health Service Use Among University Undergraduate Students: Mixed Methods Study Protocol

Abstract

BackgroundUniversity students are at risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections and suffering other negative health outcomes. Sexual health services offer preventive and treatment interventions that aim to reduce these infections and associated health consequences. However, university students often delay or avoid seeking sexual health services. An in-depth understanding of the factors that influence student use of sexual health services is needed to underpin effective sexual health interventions.ObjectiveIn this study, we aim to design a behavior change intervention to address university undergraduate students’ use of sexual health services at two universities in Nova Scotia, Canada.MethodsThis mixed methods study consists of three phases that follow a systematic approach to intervention design outlined in the Behaviour Change Wheel. In Phase 1, we examine patterns of sexual health service use among university students in Nova Scotia, Canada, using an existing dataset. In Phase 2, we identify the perceived barriers and enablers to students’ use of sexual health services. This will include focus groups with university undergraduate students, health care providers, and university administrators using a semistructured guide, informed by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour Model and Theoretical Domains Framework. In Phase 3, we identify behavior change techniques and intervention components to develop a theory-based intervention to improve students’ use of sexual health services.ResultsThis study will be completed in March 2018. Results from each phase and the finalized intervention design will be reported in 2018.ConclusionsPrevious intervention research to improve university students’ use of sexual health services lacks a theoretical assessment of barriers. This study will employ a mixed methods research design to examine university students’ use of sexual health service and apply behavior change theory to design a theory- and evidence-based sexual health service intervention. Our approach will provide a comprehensive foundation to co-design a theory-based intervention with service users, health care providers, and administrators to improve sexual health service use among university students and ultimately improve their overall health and well-being.

Barriers and enablers to sexual health service use among university students: a qualitative descriptive study using the Theoretical Domains Framework and COM-B model

“…A larger, three-phased mixed methods study is being conducted to develop a theory-based intervention to improve university students’ use of sexual health services. Full study methods and Phase 1 study results have been published elsewhere [ 12 , 26 ]. This present study was Phase 2 in the intervention design process.…”

“…Participants were identified from two universities in Nova Scotia, Canada that offer on-campus sexual health services [ 26 ]. University A is large urban university, with approximately 13,600 undergraduate students (45% male; 55% female).…”

Designing an intervention to improve sexual health service use among university undergraduate students: a mixed methods study guided by the behaviour change wheel

“…2). Full study methods and Phase 1 and 2 results have been published elsewhere [5, 6, 19]. The final phase described here included stakeholder consultation meetings to identify intervention content.…”

“…The objectives of this final intervention design and description phase were to: 1. Integrate findings from previous phases [5, 6, 19]; 2. Build a toolbox of theory- and evidence-based intervention strategies that can be used to improve the use of sexual health services among university students; and, 3.…”

Test@Work Texts: Mobile Phone Messaging to Increase Awareness of HIV and HIV Testing in UK Construction Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The COM-B model is used extensively in behaviour change interventions, and it assumes behaviour is the result of an interaction between three components: capability, opportunity, and motivation. The model has been used to identify enablers and barriers to sexual health services and workplace health interventions in several studies [13,55,[59][60][61][62][63]. Messages were designed to include the common elements of effective behaviour change techniques for HIV and STI health promotion as identified in a prior systematic review: a) problem solving; b) feedback on behaviour; c) social support (unspecified); d) instructions on how to perform the behaviour; e) information about health consequences; f) information about social and environmental consequences; g) demonstration of the behaviour; and h) credible source [55].…”