Educational interventions to improve women’s preventive behavior of sexually transmitted infections (STIs): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background Sexually active women aged 18 to 48 are within the population at risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections. Some STIs can cause serious complications in women’s reproductive health. Accordingly, this practical randomized trial aims to evaluate the effect of an interventional education based on the ISD model on improving preventive behaviors for Iranian women. Methods Women aged 18–48 years that refer to Tehran Municipality Health Houses will be invited to join the study. Recruitment will continue until a sample of 150 women participants. The study will be conducted using a mixed-methods protocol in three phases. In the first phase, women’s educational and learning needs about STIs will be identified using a qualitative approach. In the second phase, the results from the qualitative approach will be used to design a training program based on an ISD model. The educational intervention will be performed in the third phase. Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups: (1) the intervention group and (2) the control group. Data will be collected using STI Four-Scale of Preventive Behaviors at baseline, immediately, 1-month, and 3-month follow-up assessments. The impact of the intervention on the promotion of preventive behaviors from STIs will then be evaluated. Discussion This study provides an educational program for empowering and promoting behaviors that prevent STIs. If the designed interventions in the present study are effective, it has practical potential to be generalized for Iranian women at risk of STIs. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov IRCT20200602047638N1 . Registered on 22 May 2021 with the IRCTID, V1.0.