What is chalmydia?
Lack of awareness, especially men Perceptions of low susceptibility to STIs (women) Perceptions of low severity, particularly in men Complex health beliefs—entwined with emotions about relationship Uncertainty about duration of infection Misinterpretation of symptoms Delaying seeking help Using STI check ups as perceived prevention Vague symptoms and partner notification not perceived as important cues (men) Severity of symptoms related to support and prompt care seeking (men)
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Initial reactions to diagnosis
Mixed reactions Shock and uncertainty Feelings of stigmatisation (women) Feeling isolated, unwilling to tell others in support network (women) Relief—alerted to unknown threat Relief—downward comparisons to other STIs Ambivalence—chlamydia seen as relatively minor, curable infection
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Anxieties about future reproductive health—a female concern
Anxieties about future fertility (mostly women) Guilt and self punishment for not seeking earlier care (women) Fears exacerbated by uncertainty of duration of infection Anxieties not allayed by information Low personal control—“in hands” of medical staff Only small number of men reported an awareness of the association between chlamydia and infertility Most men did not report worries about future reproductive health
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Overcoming partner notification fears
Fear of partners’ negative responses and threat to current relationship Attributions of blame—self blame (women), blamed partners (men) Grateful to health advisers for partner notification support Notifying partners themselves rather than clinical referral Avoiding partner communication (men) Relief when partners told
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