An internet-based testing system for sexually transmitted infections can hugely increase uptake of services, British researchers have reported.
More than 2,000 people in London took part in a randomised control trial of e-testing.
Patients using e-testing were sent postal self-sampling test kits and were given their results through text message or telephone.
E-testing achieved a take-up rate of 50% compared with just 26% among those invited to attend local sexual health clinics. However, some of those offered the on-line services attended the local clinics.
The researchers say the main draw-back of the study was that they were unable to recruit the 3,000 participants they sought at the outset.
The findings were reported in PloS Medicine yesterday.
Researcher Caroline Free, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "Sexual health clinics play an important role in community health but some people may find them inconvenient or stigmatising, which can stop them attending.
“More long-term monitoring and evaluation of e-STI testing services is needed, but our study showed that when e-STI testing was made available alongside face-to-face services, the number of people getting tested for STIs nearly doubled."
PloS Medicine 27 December 2017 [abstract]
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