Perceptions of STI Testing Disclosure Among Emerging Adults: Insights from Research
🚨Research Alert 🚨This graphic is adapted from the work of Emily Scheinfeld (2021) in her article entitled: “Shame and STIs: An exploration of Emerging Adult Students’ Felt Shame and Stigma Towards Getting Tested for and Disclosing Sexually Transmitted Infections.” I will continue sharing this research in the coming days.
Emerging Adults: defined as those who fall within the age range of 18-26
Study Participants: 452 undergraduate students ages 18-25 from a large American Southwestern university; 18 students chose not to disclose their demographic information, however, over half the reported sample identified as non-Hispanic and white (62%) and the majority were women (80.7%); 78.7% reported being sexually active; 40% identified as single, 44.3% were in a long-term, monogamous relationships, and 14.4% reported being in casual relationships.
This graph shows these participants’ perceptions of how they would be treated (better/worse/no differently) by various groups after disclosing that they were tested for STIs. Unsurprisingly, 59.7% felt their place of worship would treat them worse, followed by 43.4% of extended family, and 42.1% of casual sexual partners.
This sample felt that doctors/health care providers would treat them better (43.4%) compared to other groups.
I was interested to learn if the potential effects of stigma and shame in someone simply sharing they were being tested for STIs, not necessarily that they contracted one. By this I mean, the mere possibility that they *could* test positive (more like probability given what we know, statistically speaking). This reveals to me that there is still shame in not only seeking testing or being tested but sharing that one was tested for STIs. This is something that I hadn’t necessarily considered this in the framework of “disclosure” before.
I am thankful for research like this as it further supports how imperative it is for us to reframe STI testing within a framework of self-care, empowerment, and health knowledge.
Does anything come as a surprise to you?