Risky Meetings Despite Knowledge of the Risk: A Qualitative Study of Young Adults Treated for Chlamydia Infection at a Sexual Transmitted Infection Clinic

Abstract

The aim of the study was to describe the attitudes to risk behavior among patients diagnosed with a Chlamydia infection at a Sexual Transmitted Infection (STI) clinic. Qualitative interviews face-to-face were conducted with twenty patients, aged 18 - 30 years, with confirmed Chlamydia infections were included. An interview guide was used and the participants described the behavior that had led to the infection. The material was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Eighteen informants were included and the theme was risk. Recurrent among the informants was risk behavior in sexual relations when using alcohol, while risk behavior in life in general was almost non-existent. Of the 18 informants, sixteen had previously been tested for STIs, and ten had had an STI before. Alcohol consumption emerged as a common denominator among the informants and as a contributor to risk. In contrast, almost none of the informants exposed themselves to any unnecessary risks in life in general.