Knowledge of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in genitourinary medicine clinic attenders

Abstract

Objectives:To determine the level of awareness of genital chlamydial infection, and level of knowledge related to this infection, in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic attenders. Methods: 500 consecutive patients attending a GUM clinic for the first time during a 3 month study period were invited to complete an anonymous self administered questionnaire on aspects of chlamydial infection. Results: 482 (96.4%) questionnaires were available for analysis (57% female). 289 (60%) respondents had heard of Chlamydia trachomatis compared with 472 (98%) for thrush, 467 (97%) for HIV/AIDS, and 434 (90%) for gonorrhoea. Subjective knowledge of chlamydia, relative to the other infections, was poor. Overall, the mean chlamydial knowledge score was 0.38 (range 0.0-1.0). Females scored significantly higher than males (0.45 v 0.26; p<0.00001) and younger females scored significantly higher than older females (p=0.001). More females had experienced genital chlamydial infection than males (22.4% v 12.1%, p=0.004). Those with prior exposure to C trachomatis had higher mean knowledge scores than those without (males 0.55 v 0.25, p<0.00001; females 0.68 v 0.37, p<0.00001). Conclusion:Even for a population considered as "high risk" by their attendance at a GUM clinic, there was poor awareness of genital chlamydial infection, and mean knowledge scores were low. Whether increased knowledge was due to successful health education at the time of diagnosis in those with previous infection remains to be determined. In the future, one would hope for increased knowledge scores in those at risk before the acquisition of infection, which may be achieved by national health education programmes for C trachomatis. (Sex Transm Inf 1999;75:36-40)

University undergraduates' knowledge of chlamydia screening services and chlamydia infection following the introduction of a National Chlamydia Screening Programme

“…Indeed, research in primary care both before and after the introduction of the NCSP has shown that men are rarely tested for chlamydia infection 5,[14][15][16] . This may contribute to their low level of awareness of the screening programme as well as poor knowledge of chlamydia infection 13,17 .…”

“…Information was gathered about demographic characteristics, knowledge about chlamydia and chlamydia transmission, and chlamydia screening practices. Another question was a 16-item (true/false) knowledge section adapted from a previously published study and this was used to construct an overall 'knowledge-score' 13 . Each correct answer scored one, all other responses, or a non-response, scored zero.…”

Sex in Australia: Knowledge about sexually transmissible infections and blood‐borne viruses in a representative sample of adults

“…Compared with non-random surveys at genito-urinary and family planning clinics in the UK, respondents had better knowledge that chlamydia could lead to infertility. [3][4][5] There are also few data to allow an analysis of temporal trends in Australia. For each of the 10 questions assessing knowledge about STIs and BBVs listed in Table 1, ASHR participants had better knowledge than a representative sample of secondary students surveyed in 1997.…”

“…In a United Kingdom (UK) sample of women attending family planning clinics, only 27% of respondents knew that chlamydia could cause infertility, 3 although around 40% of female respondents at genito-urinary medicine clinics were aware of this complication. 4,5 A survey at US sexually transmissible disease (STD) clinics revealed a high rate of misconceptions about STD-protective behaviours such as genital washing and douching. 6 In Australia, a nationally representative sample of 3,550 Australian secondary school students revealed that although knowledge about HIV was good, knowledge about STIs other than HIV was poor.…”

Specific STI knowledge may be acquired too late

“…Adolescents' knowledge of STIs is correlated with their experience with the disease, but it is not clear whether they receive information after diagnosis, or are already knowledgeable before learning of their infection [8]. This study presents secondary analyses of an existing dataset examining when adolescent females learn about STIs.…”