Pilot evaluation of a web-based intervention targeting sexual health service access

Sexual health service access is fundamental to good sexual health, yet interventions designed toaddress this have rarely been implemented or evaluated. In this paper, pilot evaluation findingsfor a targeted public health behavior change intervention, delivered via a website and web-app,aiming to increase uptake of sexual health services amongst 13 to 19 year-olds are reported. Apre-post questionnaire-based design was used. Matched baseline and follow-up data wasidentified from 148 respondents aged 13-18 years. Outcome measures were self-reported serviceaccess, self-reported intention to access services, and beliefs about services and service accessidentified through needs analysis. Objective service access data provided by local sexual healthservices was also analyzed. Analysis suggests the intervention had a significant positive effect onpsychological barriers to and antecedents of service access amongst females. Males, whoreported greater confidence in service access compared with females, significantly increasedservice access by time 2 follow-up. Available objective service access data supports the assertionthat the intervention may have led to increases in service access. There is real promise for thisnovel digital intervention. Further evaluation is planned as the model is licensed to and rolled outby other local authorities in the UK. Publisher Statement: This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Health Education Research following peer review. The version of record Brown, KE, Newby, K, Caley, M, Danahay, A & Kehal, I 2016, 'Pilot evaluation of a web-based intervention targeting sexual health service access' Health Education Research, vol 31, no. 2, pp. 273-282 is available online at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/her/cyw003