Table 1 Search term codes and quotes from STD clinic and student sample.
Code | Description | STD clinic patient quote | Student quote |
|---|---|---|---|
DescribeSymp | Description of STD Symptoms | “Abdominal pain, fishy odor, change in discharge” | “Itching down there” |
DiseaseName | Use of STD by name | “Syphilis” | “Gonorrhea” |
HIV | Mention of HIV or AIDS | “HIV and STD prevention” “HIV test clinic” | “HIV and STD” |
Pix | Google images, searching for pictures of STDs | “How does STD look?” | “Google Images STD” |
Prevent | Preventing STDs | “How safe are condoms” | “I want to know about STD before I have sex I look online” |
STDinfo | General STD information | “What is STI mean” | “Health information for STD” |
STDonly | Using the word STD, STI or Sexually Transmitted Infection and no other Terms | “STD” | “Sexually transmitted diseases” |
STDsymp | Using the phrase STD symptoms or STI symptoms without a description of the Symptoms | “STD symptoms” | “Symptoms of STD” |
STDtest | Looking for STD testing sites or information about testing procedures | “Free STD test” | “STD testing” |
Treatment | Treatment or medication Information | “What can I do to treat chlamydia?” | “Treatment options for STD” |
Transmission | How are STDs transmitted | “How do you spread STD?” | “STD risk- how do I get one?” |
SexEdu* | Using the term education in Search | N/A | “Sex education online” “Free STD education” |
