Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Aug 12:7:20552076211033424.
doi: 10.1177/20552076211033424. eCollection 2021 Jan-Dec.

Participant views and experiences of sexual health research: The Contraception Choices online trial

Julia V Bailey  1 , Kirsty F Bennett  2 , Anasztazia Gubijev  3 , Jill Shawe  4 , Judith Stephenson  5
Affiliations

Participant views and experiences of sexual health research: The Contraception Choices online trial

Julia V Bailey et al. Digit Health. .

Abstract

Background: Online sexual health research can be convenient, efficient and low cost, but there are debates about the adequacy of online informed consent, privacy, and the acceptability of different methods of follow-up.

Objectives: To explore women's views and experiences of the Contraception Choices feasibility trial procedures and the place of digital interventions for contraception decision making.

Methods: We analysed data from two sources: (1) Qualitative interviews. Eighteen interviews were conducted with women who had taken part in the Contraception Choices pre-trial feasibility study, to evaluate recruitment and online trial procedures. (2) Free-text comments. Women in the main Contraception Choices randomised controlled trial were followed up at 3 and 6 months, and asked 'Please tell us what you liked or disliked about the website' and 'Has being in the study had any good or bad effects on your life?' A total of 387 and 414 comments were made at 3 and 6 months respectively. Data were analysed thematically.

Results: Participants liked being involved in a study about contraception, although recruitment from an abortion clinic was less acceptable than in other sexual health settings. Women found the trial procedures straightforward, and expressed no major concerns about online self-registration, informed consent or online data collection. Online survey questions about contraception and fertility were acceptable, and participants liked the convenience of being followed up by email or text.

Conclusions: Participants appreciated the advantages of the online research design and did not express concerns about consent or privacy. Women would welcome digital interventions for contraception in a variety of settings.

Keywords: Digital health; eHealth; qualitative; reproductive health; sexual health; women's health.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

References

    1. Bailey J, Mann S, Wayal S, et al.Digital media interventions for sexual health promotion—opportunities and challenges. BMJ 2015; 350: h1099. - PubMed
    1. Paul J, Duvet M, Boraas C. Youtube and the contraceptive implant: a content analysis. Contraception 2014; 90: 322. - PubMed
    1. Madden T, Cortez S, Kuzemchak M, et al.Accuracy of information about the intrauterine device on the Internet. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016; 214: 499. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Stephenson J, Bailey JV, Blandford A, et al.An interactive website to aid young women's choice of contraception: feasibility and efficacy RCT. Health Technol Assess 2020; 24: 1–44. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Stephenson J, Bailey JV, Blandford A, et al.An interactive website for informed contraception choice: randomised evaluation of Contraception Choices. Digit Health 2020; 6: 2055207620936435. - PMC - PubMed