Table 3.
Overview of qualitative participants’ reported genitourinary symptoms, hypothetical service preference and care-seeking behaviour
| Interview no. | Sex | Age* | Symptoms reported in the Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) (past month) | Symptoms reported in semistructured interview (ever) | Hypothetical service preference | Care-seeking for symptoms reported in semistructured interview (ever) |
| Data source | CAPI | CAPI, SSI | CASI | SSI | CASI | SSI |
| i2 | Female | 35–39 | Abdominal/pelvic pain. | Pain urinating; vaginal pain during sex; bleeding after sex; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | GP | GP for abdominal pain, referred on to NHS gynaecologist. |
| i3 | Female | 20–24 | Abdominal/pelvic pain. | Abnormal vaginal discharge; vaginal pain during sex; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | SHC | GP and private gynaecologist for different symptoms. |
| i4 | Female | 25–29 | Abnormal bleeding between periods; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; vaginal pain during sex; abnormal bleeding between periods; bleeding after sex; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | SHC | None. |
| i6 | Female | 35–39 | Abnormal bleeding between periods. | Pain urinating and abnormal vaginal discharge. | SHC | Cannot remember. |
| i7 | Female | 40–44 | Genital ulcer/sore. | Pain urinating; genital ulcer/sore; abnormal vaginal discharge; and abnormal bleeding between periods. | GP | None. |
| i8 | Female | 16–19 | Abnormal bleeding between periods. | Pain urinating; vaginal pain during sex; abnormal bleeding between periods; bleeding after sex; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | FPC | GP for abnormal bleeding between periods and abdominal pain. |
| i9 | Female | 20–24 | Pain urinating; vaginal pain during sex; and abnormal bleeding between periods. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge; vaginal pain during sex; and abnormal bleeding between periods. | FPC | SHC for abnormal vaginal discharge and abnormal bleeding between periods. |
| i10 | Male | 20–24 | Painful testicles. | Painful testicles. | GP | None. |
| i11 | Male | 16–19 | Painful testicles. | None. | GP | None. |
| i12 | Female | 25–29 | Unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | GP | GP for abnormal discharge and odour, referred to hospital for further investigations; and midwife for abdominal pain during pregnancy. |
| i13 | Male | 20–24 | Genital wart/lump. | Genital wart/lump. | SHC | SHC (different town) after third episode of warts. |
| i14 | Male | 45–49 | Pain urinating. | Pain urinating; genital lump (not a wart) and painful testicles. | GP | GP for lump in testicles. |
| i15 | Male | 30–34 | Pain urinating. | Pain urinating and painful testicles. | GP | Pharmacist for pain urinating. |
| i16 | Female | 25–29 | Abdominal/pelvic pain. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; abnormal bleeding between periods; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | FPC | GP for all symptoms except discharge and pharmacist for thrush (self-diagnosed). |
| i17 | Male | 30–34 | Penile discharge. | Pain urinating; penile discharge; and painful testicles. | SHC | None. |
| i18 | Female | 30–34 | Pain urinating. | Pain urinating and unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge. | GP | GP for all symptoms. |
| i19 | Female | 30–34 | Bleeding after sex and abdominal/pelvic pain. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; vaginal pain during sex; abnormal bleeding between periods; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | SHC | Mentioned abnormal bleeding at contraception clinic visit but no care-seeking specifically for symptoms. |
| i20 | Male | 30–34 | Pain urinating and painful testicles. | Pain urinating; penile discharge; painful testicles. | GP | GP for all symptoms. |
| i21 | Male | 20–24 | Painful testicles. | None. | FPC | None. |
| i22 | Male | 30–34 | Painful testicles. | Pain urinating and painful testicles. | GP | GP for both symptoms. |
| i23 | Male | 20–24 | Painful testicles. | Pain urinating and painful testicles. | GP | GP for both symptoms. |
| i24 | Male | 16–19 | Painful testicles. | Pain urinating and painful testicles. | GP | SHC for pain urinating and GP for painful testicles |
| i25 | Female | 45–49 | Unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge. | Pain urinating and abnormal vaginal discharge. | GP | GP for both symptoms. |
| i26 | Female | 16–19 | Genital ulcer/sore. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge; and vaginal pain during sex. | SHC | Went to hospital for pain urinating. |
| i27 | Female | 25–29 | Genital ulcer/sore and genital wart/lump. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; vaginal pain during sex; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | GP | GP for pain urinating and midwife for abdominal pain (during pregnancy). |
| i28 | Female | 30–34 | Unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge. | Abnormal vaginal discharge. | GP | None. |
| i29 | Female | 40–44 | Unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge. | Pain urinating; abnormal vaginal discharge; unpleasant odour associated with vaginal discharge odour; and abdominal/pelvic pain. | Internet | GP and private gynaecologist. |
Shaded columns contain data from Natsal-3 survey.
*Age at time of qualitative interview is calculated using the participant’s date of birth and date of follow-up interview;.
CAPI, computer-assisted personal interview; CASI, computer-assisted self-interview; FPC, family planning clinic/contraceptive clinic/reproductive health clinic; GP, general practitioner (primary care); GUM, genitourinary medicine; Natsal-3, third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles; SHC, sexual health/GUM clinic; SSI, semistructured interview.