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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Poor uptake of community based sexually transmissible infection testing at an inner city needle and syringe program

Lynne Martin A D , Sione Crawford B , Vickie Knight A , Nicky Bath B and Anna McNulty A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Hospital, GPO Box 1614, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia.

B NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA), Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.

C School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: lynne.martin@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Sexual Health 10(2) 183-184 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH12078
Submitted: 25 May 2012  Accepted: 5 June 2012   Published: 19 November 2012

Abstract

Sydney Sexual Health Centre (SSHC) and the NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA), the NSW peer-based drug user organisation, pilot tested an outreach sexually transmissible infection (STI) testing station using self-collected urine and swabs in NUAA’s needle and syringe program (NSP) space. The model was based on SSHC’s established Xpress clinic. A needs assessment among NUAA clients was undertaken prior to commencement in order to ascertain potential uptake. A computer-assisted self interview was developed with data securely transferred to SSHC daily. During the 6 months from January to July 2011, almost 3000 occasions of service were recorded in the NSP from an estimated 375 clients. Four clients took advantage of NUAA Xpress during this time. Despite initial client interest, promotional efforts and the success of this methodology elsewhere, this outreach model did not have a successful uptake and was discontinued. This project provides value in considering the methodology and implementation of future outreach STI testing projects for people who inject drugs.

Additional keywords: Australia, injecting drug users, Sydney.


References

[1]  NSW Department of Health (NsWDoH). NSW Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2006–2009. Sydney: NSWDoH; 2006.

[2]  Bradshaw CS, Pierce LI, Tabrizi SN, Fairley CK, Garland SM. Screening injecting drug users for sexually transmitted infections and blood borne viruses using street outreach and self collected sampling. Sex Transm Infect 2005; 81 53–8.
Screening injecting drug users for sexually transmitted infections and blood borne viruses using street outreach and self collected sampling.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD2M%2FlsVWktg%3D%3D&md5=8a4830e766f5ddbba3869f379e32118dCAS | 15681724PubMed |

[3]  Martin L, Knight V, Ryder N, Lu H, Read PJ, McNulty A. Client feedback and satisfaction with an express STI screening service at an inner city sexual health centre. Sex Trans Dis 2012;
Client feedback and satisfaction with an express STI screening service at an inner city sexual health centre.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[4]  Knight V, Guy R, Wand H, Lu H, Ryder N, McNulty A. Evaluation of impact of an Xpress STI screening clinic on efficiency of SSHC. Sex Trans Dis 2012; In press.