In the United States an estimated one out of five adults is infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Fifty to ninety percent of HSV-2 infections are transmitted by individuals who are unaware of being infected. Until recently, herpes serology testing was notoriously inaccurate. Over the past 4 years however, type specific serological immunoassays have been licensed that are highly sensitive, specific and inexpensive. The use of these tests in general practice and screening is controversial because there is limited empirical evidence on the impact of testing. In 1999, an advisory panel convened by the CDC to address genital herpes prevention recommended studies of """"""""the psychological and behavioral impact of HSV serological testing on asymptomatic persons and their responses to the complex counseling and behavioral messages implied by uncovering serologic evidence of HSV-2 infection"""""""". To date, there are only two published studies on this topic. The proposed feasibility study will use a descriptive design to investigate the impact of receiving HSV-2 test results. We will offer HSV-2 serological testing to university students and use instruments to examine the impact of receiving HSV-2 test results on behavior (e.g. condom use, number of partners) and psychological state (e.g. depression, anxiety).
The specific aims of the proposed study are: 1. Determine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining students willing to be tested for HSV-2. 2. Compare psychological and behavioral responses of students who receive a positive test result for HSV-2 with those of students who receive a negative test result at recruitment and three months after receiving results. ? ? ?
| Williams, Jessica Roberts; Zenilman, Jonathan; Nanda, Joy P et al. (2008) Recruitment strategies and motivations for sexually transmitted disease testing among college students. J Am Coll Health 57:357-60 |
| Mark, Hayley; Nanda, Joy P; Joffe, Alain et al. (2008) Serologic screening for herpes simplex virus among university students: a pilot study. J Am Coll Health 57:291-6 |
| Mark, Hayley D; Nanda, Joy P; Roberts, Jessica et al. (2007) Performance of focus ELISA tests for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies among university students with no history of genital herpes. Sex Transm Dis 34:681-5 |
