Wrapped feasibility RCT
A study to assess whether it is feasible to run an RCT to test whether Wrapped is effective and cost-effective
Role: Project lead
Funder: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Public Health Research Programme (project reference NIHR128148)
Dates: May 2020 to May 2023
Background
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia are common amongst young people. Without treatment, they can cause serious health problems including infertility. Condoms are recommended to prevent STIs but young people often report not using them for penetrative sex. Face-to-face sexual health services are available for STI testing but more and more people are using STI testing websites and demand for this service is rising rapidly. Young people most at risk of STIs are using these sites but they do not offer much support or advice on how to prevent future infections.
What did we do?
Together with young people and health professionals, we developed a website called ‘Wrapped’. Wrapped aims to reduce future STI diagnoses amongst users of web-based STI testing services by increasing their condom use. Users can order a free condom sample pack and carrier, access a free monthly condom ordering service, and watch videos that demonstrate condom use, give tips on communicating about condoms, and of real couples discussing and using condoms. What we want to know is whether Wrapped works to reduce STIs. To find this out, we need to run a type of experiment called a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT). This research assessed whether it was possible to carry out this future RCT.
What did we find?
Uptake was slow but given the large numbers of young people who use these sites, we have estimated that this will still be high enough to run the RCT. Over 12 months, high numbers of young people completed all our surveys and used STI self-sampling kits to provide us with accurate information on whether they had an STI. Young people liked Wrapped, said that it made them feel differently about condoms, and described taking part in the study as easy.
Next steps
We have applied for funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to run the required RCT.
Publications
Other outputs
Watch our video for a summary of the project and findings