This research is being conducted by The Love Tank CIC - a non-profit working to improve the health and wellbeing of underserved communities - in association with Preventx - a company that delivers free at-home/remote sexual health testing in the UK. Preventx deliver this work in partnership with the NHS via SHL in London and SH.UK outside of London.

The aim of this research is to help Preventx better understand the needs of different communities in the UK accessing sexual health services online. The findings of focus group will be shared with Preventx to help improve the service for everyone - including historically marginalised groups. Some of the findings may also be shared in presentations at public health conferences in the future.

This research will involve a series of online focus groups, taking place from September 2024 to June 2025. The discussions will focus on people's preferences for (and experiences) of accessing sexual health testing online.

There will be separate discussion groups for the following demographics/communities:

• Cisgender heterosexual men, aged 18-25

• Black cisgender heterosexual men, aged 18-25

• Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), aged 18-25

• Migrant GBMSM

• Transgender women and transfeminine people

• Transgender men and transmasculine people

Focus groups will take place online via Zoom on a weekday evening. They will last approximately 90 minutes. If you attend a focus group, you will receive a £50 e-voucher as a huge thank you for taking part.

You can register to take part by completing this form.

To take part in this research, you need to be aged 18 or over and living in the UK. You also need to be part of one of the demographics listed in the section above ("What will it involve?").

You do not need to have ever used an online sexual health service (like SHL or SH.UK) to take part in the discussions.

Yes! When you complete the registration survey, you will be invited to select whether you wish to attend one focus group or three focus group (on different topics). 

If you select the second option, you will be invited to attend three different Zoom sessions. These are likely to be spaced apart across a few weeks. You will receive an e-voucher for each discussion group you attend (up to a maximum of £150).

Yes. The Zoom discussions will be audio recorded and transcribed anonymously (removing any identifying information in the discussions). 

If you don't want to, you do not need to use your real name at any point during the research. You can complete the registration survey using a pseudonym (or fake name), if you wish. 

The demographics included in this round of research represent a mix of communities with different sexual health needs and experiences accessing sexual health services online.

This programme of research is a multi-year collaboration between The Love Tank and Preventx. In coming years, the research programme will involve different communities and demographics. 

Once you fill out the registration survey, the research team at The Love Tank will securely store your email.

Once dates are selected, you will receive an email inviting you to a discussion group. This email will include a consent form that you will be asked to return by email. Please make sure to check your spam/junk folder in case an email arrives there.

If you select the option on the registration survey to take part in three focus group, you will likely receive separate email invitations for each of these groups. (You will only need to complete the consent form once).