Evaluation of a skills-based condom intervention in an alcohol-using student population: A feasibility study

Hurrell, Zoe

Abstract

Young people are, as a group, at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancy and binge-drinking. The primary method of contraception that offers protection against both pregnancy and STI transmission is condoms. Whilst research examining the relationship between alcohol use and sexual behaviour suggests a complex association dependent on many factors, it is vital that interventions devised to encourage condom use are effective in binge-drinking populations. This feasibility study arose from a systematic review of the literature identifying the previous skills-based interventional work of Jemmott et al. (2005) as the most robust of its kind in the field. An adapted version of this skills-based intervention was put together using national resources for use with a university binge-drinking population in the UK. This feasibility study identified changes to practical condom skills, theoretical condom knowledge and skills, intentions to use condoms and condom use self-efficacy for the information-only group and skills-based group with tentative findings suggesting an increased retention of knowledge for the skills-based group in terms of theoretical knowledge and skills. Actual condom use was not found to have improved at follow-up 4–7 weeks post-intervention. These findings will be discussed here in terms of what they can tell us about the feasibility of running a powered trial, and a number of recommendations arising from the observed strengths and limitations of the current study and intervention content will be proposed.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 6, 2019
• Keywords: sexual health, intervention, condom use, skills, alcohol
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/837874
• Award Date: Mar 1, 2015