Table 3

Number, proportion and determinants of returning self-sampling kits among users of online services for self-sampling for STIs at home

Exposure variableUnreturned kits, n (%)Returned kits, n (%)Crude OR (95% CI)
n=3964
Adjusted OR† (95% CI)
n=3947
Age group (years)
 16–2071 (7.4)101 (4.0)1 (ref) 1 (ref)
 20–25294 (30.4)770 (30.2)1.84** (1.32 to 2.57)1.68* (1.20 to 2.36)
 25–30340 (35.2)954 (37.4)1.97** (1.42 to 2.47)1.81* (1.29 to 2.54)
 30–35128 (13.3)395 (15.5)2.17** (1.51 to 3.12)2.03** (1.40 to 2.94)
 35+133 (13.8)329 (12.9)1.74* (1.21 to 2.50)1.66* (1.14 to 2.42)
Gender
 Male374 (38.7)911 (35.7)1 (ref)1 (ref)
 Female592 (61.3)1638 (64.3)1.14 (0.98 to 1.32)1.18 (1.00 to 0.39)
Ethnic group
 White British488 (50.6)1482 (58.3)1 (ref)1 (ref)
 White other111 (11.5)324 (12.7)0.96 (0.76 to 1.22)0.95 (0.75 to 1.21)
 Black African58 (6.0)116 (4.6)0.66* (0.47 to 0.92)0.70* (0.50 to 0.98)
 Black Caribbean69 (7.2)166 (6.5)0.79 (0.59 to 1.07)0.84 (0.62 to 1.13)
 Black other37 (3.8)97 (3.8)0.86 (0.58 to 1.28)0.92 (0.62 to 1.36)
 Mixed white black African or Caribbean68 (7.1)124 (4.9)0.60* (0.44 to 0.82)0.64* (0.47 to 0.88)
 South Asian14 (1.5)36 (1.4)0.85 (0.45 to 1.58)0.93 (0.49 to 1.74)
 Any other ethnic group100 (10.4)170 (6.7)0.56** (0.53 to 0.73)0.58** (0.44 to 0.76)
 Not stated19 (2.0)29 (1.1)0.50* (0.28 to 0.90)0.50* (0.28 to 0.91)
Sexual orientation
 Heterosexual777 (80.4)2083 (81.7)1 (ref)1 (ref)
 Homosexual123 (12.7)332 (13.0)1.01 (0.81 to 1.26)1.06 (0.83 to 1.36)
 Bisexual40 (4.1)100 (3.9)0.93 (0.64 to 1.36)0.96 (0.65 to 1.40)
 Not stated/not known26 (2.7)34 (1.3)0.49* (0.29 to 0.82)0.53* (0.31 to 0.89)
IMD quintile
 1 (most deprived)325 (33.8)791 (31.1)1 (ref)
 2418 (43.4)1122 (44.2)1.10 (0.93 to 1.31)
 3186 (19.3)494 (19.4)1.09 (0.88 to 1.35)
 429 (3.0)117 (4.6)1.66* (1.08 to 2.54)
 5 (least deprived)5 (0.5)17 (0.7)1.40 (0.51 to 3.81)
 Total966 (27.5)2549 (72.5)
  • Missing data for 11 observations for IMD and  7  observations for ethnic group. Missing data excluded from multivariate analysis.

  • *P<0.05, **P<0.001.

  • †Adjusted for age group, gender, ethnic group and sexual orientation.

  • IMD, Index of Multiple Deprivation.