Major themes | Subthemes | Number of participants (N = 20) |
---|---|---|
1. Reasons for performing anal self-examination | Health concerns (anal cancer screening, screening for anal pathologies and STI, medical treatment, being anal health conscious) | 17 |
Hygiene/cleaning | 3 | |
Sexual stimulation/masturbation | 6 | |
2. Preferred educational resources for anal self-examination | Self-learning through online resources or self-practice | 10 |
Learning through healthcare professionals and trusted organizations (Thorne Harbour Health, Melbourne Sexual Health Centre) | 10 | |
3. Attitudes towards partner anal examination | Willing to have partner anal examination if in a trusted or stable relationship | 10 |
Not comfortable with partner anal examination | 10 | |
4. Acceptability of anal self-examination | Acceptable to perform regular anal self- examination if recommended by a health professional | 10 |
Open to perform anal self-examination when proven effective | 4 | |
Already performing regular anal self-examination for health concerns | 6 | |
Preference for a health professional performing anal examination rather than self-examination | 7 | |
Challenges of anal self-examination as a means for syphilis detection | 6 |