Variable | n (%) | Variable | n (%) |
Gender | Utilisation of technology | ||
Male | 111 (43) | Access to the Internet | |
Female | 146 (57) | Yes | 246 (96) |
Age (years) | No | 9 (4) | |
<18 | 7 (3) | Smartphone ownership | |
18–24 | 119 (46) | Yes | 232 (91) |
25–34 | 70 (27) | No | 23 (9) |
35–44 | 25 (10) | Preference for first point-of-contact to discuss SRH issues | |
45–54 | 26 (10) | Face-to-face consultation | 171 (70) |
55–64 | 5 (2) | Telephone | 42 (17) |
>64 | 4 (2) | Video consultation (Skype/FaceTime) | 7 (3) |
Ethnicity | Live webchat (texting service) | 23 (10) | |
Asian | 10 (3) | Device preference for online appointments | |
Black (African/Caribbean) | 13 (4) | Smartphone | 178 (51) |
Mixed | 8 (3) | PC | 26 (7) |
White | 227 (90) | Tablet | 56 (16) |
Employment status | Webcam | 9 (3) | |
Full-time | 136 (56) | Laptop | 79 (23) |
Part-time | 30 (12) | ||
Student | 65 (24) | Acceptability/willingness variables | |
Unemployed | 19 (8) | To use a website for SRH information | |
Education | Yes | 230 (94) | |
GNNQ/HNC/HND or lower | 14 (4) | No | 15 (6) |
GCSE | 59 (23) | To use an app for SRH information | |
A/AS level/Highers | 93 (37) | Yes | 147 (57) |
Degree or above | 84 (36) | No | 109 (43) |
Registered with GP | To use live webchat with an advisor | ||
Yes | 225 (98) | Yes | 177 (73) |
No | 4 (2) | No | 66 (27) |
Previously diagnosed with an STI | To be contacted via Skype/FaceTime by a health professional | ||
Yes | 58 (23) | Yes | 167 (66) |
No | 197 (77) | No | 87 (34) |
HIV positive | To use video consultation (eg, Skype) | ||
Yes | 14 (5) | Yes | 144 (58) |
No | 239 (95) | No | 104 (42) |
How did you get appointment? | To download software for video consultation | ||
Walk-in | 47 (19) | Yes | 136 (55) |
Booked online | 40 (16) | No | 111 (45) |
Booked by phone | 152 (62) | To consent for consultation to be recorded | |
Sent by GP/A&E | 8 (3) | Yes | 129 (52) |
Perceived STI symptoms | No | 120 (48) | |
Yes | 120 (47) | To enter symptoms onto an online form | |
No | 132 (53) | Yes | 200 (83) |
Duration of STI symptoms | No | 41 (17) | |
<7 days | 30 (25) | To use AI-enabled chatbot for SRH advice | |
1–12 weeks | 49 (43) | Yes | 100 (40) |
>3 months | 37 (32) | No | 149 (60) |
Attempted to self-treat STI symptoms | |||
Yes | 37 (28) | Cyber security variables | |
No | 93 (72) | Concerned about security for storing medical information | |
Visited other service before SRH | Yes | 137 (57) | |
Yes | 85 (34) | No | 104 (43) |
No | 161 (65) | Concerned about privacy of digital communication with health professionals | |
Alternative resources for SRH advice | Yes | 114 (47) | |
GP | 56 (50) | No | 127 (53) |
Pharmacy | 2 (2) | Confidence in the security of NHS digital health records | |
Internet | 33 (37) | Completely | 94 (39) |
Other | 10 (11) | Mostly | 137 (67) |
Travel distance to SRH clinic | Not at all | 11 (4) | |
<15 min | 106 (41) | ||
<30 min | 110 (44) | ||
<1 hour | 35 (14) | ||
<2 hours | 6 (2) |
A&E, accident and emergency department; AI, artificial intelligence; GNNQ/HNC/HND/GCSE/A/AS/Highers, level of education; GP, general practitioner; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; NHS, National Health Service; PC, personal computer; SRH, sexual and reproductive health; STI, sexually transmitted infection.