How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional survey
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-tests, tests on medical conditions that can be performed by consumers without consulting a doctor first, are frequently used. Nevertheless, there are concerns about the safety of self-testing, as it may delay diagnosis and appro...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2010-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Family Practice |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/11/77 |
| _version_ | 1818470342544326656 |
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| author | de Vries Nanne K Dinant Geert-Jan Grispen Janaica EJ Ronda Gaby Ickenroth Martine HP van der Weijden Trudy |
| author_facet | de Vries Nanne K Dinant Geert-Jan Grispen Janaica EJ Ronda Gaby Ickenroth Martine HP van der Weijden Trudy |
| author_sort | de Vries Nanne K |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-tests, tests on medical conditions that can be performed by consumers without consulting a doctor first, are frequently used. Nevertheless, there are concerns about the safety of self-testing, as it may delay diagnosis and appropriate treatment in the case of inappropriate use of the test, or false-negative results. It is unclear whether self-tests stimulate appropriate follow-up behaviour. Our aim was to examine the frequency of self-test use, consumers' response to self-test results in terms of their confidence in the result, reassurance by the test result, and follow-up behaviour.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A two step cross-sectional survey was designed. A random sample of 6700 Internet users in an existing Internet panel received an online questionnaire on the use of self-tests. Self-tests were defined as tests on body materials, initiated by consumers with the aim to diagnose a disease or risk factor. A second questionnaire on consumers' response to self-test results was sent to the respondents that were identified as a self-tester in the first questionnaire (n = 703).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>18.1% (799/4416) of the respondents had ever performed a self-test, the most frequently used tests being those for diabetes (5.3%), kidney disease (4.9%), cholesterol (4.5%), urinary tract infection (1.9%) and HIV/AIDS and Chlamydia (both 1.6%). A total of 78.1% of the testers with a normal test result and 81.4% of those with an abnormal result reported confidence in this result. Almost all (95.6%) of the testers with a normal result felt reassured. After a normal result, 78.1% did not take any further action and 5.8% consulted a doctor. The corresponding figures after an abnormal test result were 9.3% and 72.2%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Respondents who had performed a self-test seemed to base their follow-up behaviour on the result of the test. They had confidence in the test result, and were often reassured by a normal result. After an abnormal result, most self-testers sought medical care. Because consumers seem to trust the self-test results, further research should focus on the development of consumer information addressing indications for performing a self-test, the validity of self-tests and appropriate interpretation of and management after a test.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:35:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-466d1892b17c4361bf9be6dd1ff392fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2296 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:35:59Z |
| publishDate | 2010-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-466d1892b17c4361bf9be6dd1ff392fe2022-12-22T02:28:57ZengBMCBMC Family Practice1471-22962010-10-011117710.1186/1471-2296-11-77How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional surveyde Vries Nanne KDinant Geert-JanGrispen Janaica EJRonda GabyIckenroth Martine HPvan der Weijden Trudy<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-tests, tests on medical conditions that can be performed by consumers without consulting a doctor first, are frequently used. Nevertheless, there are concerns about the safety of self-testing, as it may delay diagnosis and appropriate treatment in the case of inappropriate use of the test, or false-negative results. It is unclear whether self-tests stimulate appropriate follow-up behaviour. Our aim was to examine the frequency of self-test use, consumers' response to self-test results in terms of their confidence in the result, reassurance by the test result, and follow-up behaviour.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A two step cross-sectional survey was designed. A random sample of 6700 Internet users in an existing Internet panel received an online questionnaire on the use of self-tests. Self-tests were defined as tests on body materials, initiated by consumers with the aim to diagnose a disease or risk factor. A second questionnaire on consumers' response to self-test results was sent to the respondents that were identified as a self-tester in the first questionnaire (n = 703).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>18.1% (799/4416) of the respondents had ever performed a self-test, the most frequently used tests being those for diabetes (5.3%), kidney disease (4.9%), cholesterol (4.5%), urinary tract infection (1.9%) and HIV/AIDS and Chlamydia (both 1.6%). A total of 78.1% of the testers with a normal test result and 81.4% of those with an abnormal result reported confidence in this result. Almost all (95.6%) of the testers with a normal result felt reassured. After a normal result, 78.1% did not take any further action and 5.8% consulted a doctor. The corresponding figures after an abnormal test result were 9.3% and 72.2%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Respondents who had performed a self-test seemed to base their follow-up behaviour on the result of the test. They had confidence in the test result, and were often reassured by a normal result. After an abnormal result, most self-testers sought medical care. Because consumers seem to trust the self-test results, further research should focus on the development of consumer information addressing indications for performing a self-test, the validity of self-tests and appropriate interpretation of and management after a test.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/11/77 |
| spellingShingle | de Vries Nanne K Dinant Geert-Jan Grispen Janaica EJ Ronda Gaby Ickenroth Martine HP van der Weijden Trudy How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional survey BMC Family Practice |
| title | How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional survey |
| title_full | How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional survey |
| title_short | How do people respond to self-test results? A cross-sectional survey |
| title_sort | how do people respond to self test results a cross sectional survey |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/11/77 |
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