Most adolescents who participate in school-based screenings for sexually transmitted infections do not perceive themselves at high risk of sexually transmitted infection.

Statements of study limitations have been made in a number of reports that voluntary participants in school-based screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be individuals who self-select for participation because they perceive themselves at high risk of STI. We surveyed 3336 students participating in the New Orleans school-based screening for chlamydia and gonorrhoea to determine their perceived personal risk of STI. Among all screening participants, 1183 (35.5%) estimated that their chances of getting an STI were pretty high or very high and 2153 (64.5%) estimated that their chances were none, not very high or medium. These findings indicate that most participants in the New Orleans school-based screening for chlamydia and gonorrhoea do not perceive themselves at high risk of STI.