Date of Award
2023
Document Type
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
Committee Chair
Yeow Chye Ng
Committee Member
Jack Mayeux
Subject(s)
Sexually transmitted diseases--Diagnosis, Sexually transmitted diseases--Treatment, HIV infections--Prevention, Pre-exposure prophylaxis, Medical screening
Abstract
Timely sexually transmitted illness (STI) testing, treatment, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention in primary and urgent care can be done with proper screenings. Sexual history screenings are not conducted thoroughly in the primary and urgent care setting due to lack of provider training, provider and patient comfort, social stigmas, and the unavailability of a proper screening tool. A sexual history screening tool that identified high-risk sexual behaviors for timely STI testing, treatment, and HIV prevention was implemented within an integrated health clinic focusing on primary and urgent care patients aged 18-64. Eleven providers were asked to participate in the 12-week clinical practice change project. STI testing and treatment protocols were developed for the clinic following the Centers for Disease Control 2021 Treatment Guidelines. HIV prevention protocols were also developed and implemented to prescribe and manage HIV Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Providers consented to a pre-and post-implementation survey to evaluate their knowledge of managing STIs and HIV prevention and their perception of using a screening tool for STI testing, treatment, and HIV prevention. A paired samples t-test showed a statistically significant increase in provider knowledge with the education provided and the incorporation of the screening tool into practice. High-risk sexual behaviors were identified in >100% of patients screened. STI testing increased 79%, prescribing of PrEP increased 67%, and STI treatment increased by 17%. The screening tool is an added instrument for primary and urgent care providers in STI testing, treatment, and HIV prevention.
Recommended Citation
Kovac, Francis, "Implementing a standardized sexual history screening tool for STI and HIV prevention" (2023). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 65.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-dnp/65