Demand for sexual health services during the Olympic Games: both sides of the Sherman effect

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 307-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna M McNulty ◽  
Richard Rohrsheim ◽  
Basil Donovan

To determine the impact of the Olympic Games the Sydney Sexual Health Centre database was accessed for demographic, health care utilization, and morbidity variables for two periods of interest: 15-29 September 2000 (the 'Olympic period'), and 1-30 September 1999 ('1999 comparison period'). Differences were tested by chi-square statistics and by calculation of odds ratios (ORs) using SPSS. During the Olympic period twice as many of the new patients had arrived in Australia that year (35% c.f. 18%: OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.49-4.05, P=0.0002). Per attendance the proportion with symptoms or a known sexually transmitted infection (STI) contact was higher during the Games (29% c.f. 16% OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.1.27-2.21, P=0.0002) and there was a marginally higher yield of bacterial STIs (6% c.f. 3%: OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.06-3.13 P=0.03). The normal clinic population was replaced by an increased proportion of symptomatic patients who were recent arrivals in Australia.

Author(s):  
Eric P F Chow ◽  
Jane S Hocking ◽  
Jason J Ong ◽  
Tiffany R Phillips ◽  
Christopher K Fairey

Abstract Background We aimed to examine the impact of lockdown on sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses and access to a public sexual health service in the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia. Methods The operating hours of Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) remained the same during the lockdown. We examined the number of consultations and STI at MSHC between January and June 2020 and stratified the data into pre-lockdown (3-February to 22-March), lockdown (23-March to 10-May) and post-lockdown (11-May to 28-June) with seven weeks in each period. Incidence rate ratio (IRR) and its 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Poisson regression models. Results The total number of consultations dropped from 7,818 in pre-lockdown to 4,652 during lockdown (IRR=0.60;95%CI:0.57-0.62) but increased to 5,347 in the post-lockdown period (IRR=1.15;95%CI:1.11-1.20). There was a 68% reduction in asymptomatic screening during lockdown (IRR=0.32; 95%CI:0.30-0.35) but it gradually increased in the post-lockdown period (IRR=1.59;95%CI:1.46-1.74). STI with milder symptoms showed a marked reduction, including non-gonococcal urethritis (IRR=0.60;95%CI:0.51-0.72), and candidiasis (IRR=0.61;95%CI:0.49-0.76) during lockdown compared with pre-lockdown. STI with more marked symptoms did not change significantly, including pelvic inflammatory disease (IRR=0.95;95%CI:0.61-1.47) and infectious syphilis (IRR=1.14;95%CI:0.73-1.77). There was no significant change in STI diagnoses in post-lockdown compared to lockdown. Conclusions The public appeared to be prioritising their attendance for sexual health services based on the urgency of their clinical conditions. This suggests that the effectiveness of clinical services in detecting, treating and preventing onward transmission of important symptomatic conditions is being mainly preserved despite large falls in absolute numbers of attendees.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent J Cornelisse ◽  
Christopher K Fairley ◽  
Tiffany Phillips ◽  
Sandra Walker ◽  
Eric PF Chow

‘Fuckbuddies’ are a type of regular sexual partner with whom men have ongoing sexual contact, generally in the absence of romantic attachment. We surveyed 989 men who have sex with men (MSM) at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Australia, with the aim of determining the frequency of ‘fuckbuddy’ partnerships among sexual health clinic attendees and assessing their sexual risk. The majority (60%) of 1139 regular partnerships were described as ‘fuckbuddies’. Most MSM (63%) with a ‘fuckbuddy’ had multiple ‘fuckbuddies’. MSM with ‘fuckbuddies’ were more likely to also have casual sexual partners (odds ratio [OR] 5.7; 95% confidence interval 3.6–8.9) and had more casual sexual partners (median of 4 versus 1, p < 0.001) and more rectal chlamydia (12.4% versus 5.7%; adjusted OR 2.3; p < 0.05) than MSM without ‘fuckbuddies’, and this risk persisted after adjusting for total numbers of sexual partners. Our findings suggest that patients with ‘fuckbuddies’ are at particular risk of sexually transmitted infections. We argue that clinicians should specifically ask about ‘fuckbuddy’ partnerships as part of their risk assessment during patient interviews, as these patients may benefit from HIV prevention strategies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).


2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 528-532
Author(s):  
Nur Gasmelsid ◽  
Benjamin CB Moran ◽  
Tom Nadarzynski ◽  
Rajul Patel ◽  
Elizabeth Foley

Patient demand on sexual health services in the United Kingdom is so high that many services have introduced online screening to accommodate more patients. There are concerns that these services may not be accessible to all. This service evaluation was undertaken to determine whether online screening is accessible by those patients most at need by comparing the demographics and number of asymptomatic chlamydial infections detected online and in clinic. No difference was found in the age nor level of deprivation, demonstrating that online services are an accessible way to screen for sexually transmitted infections without overburdening established services.


The Lancet ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian E Bauman ◽  
Masamitsu Kamada ◽  
Rodrigo S Reis ◽  
Richard P Troiano ◽  
Ding Ding ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (14) ◽  
pp. 1407-1416 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Desai ◽  
F Burns ◽  
G Schembri ◽  
D Williams ◽  
A Sullivan ◽  
...  

Men who have sex with men (MSM) attending sexual health (SH) clinics are at high risk for HIV acquisition and are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We collected standardised behavioural data from MSM attending clinics to characterise sexual behaviours and identify predictors for HIV and STIs. In 2012–2013, HIV-negative MSM attending five SH clinics in England reported sexual behaviours in the previous three months via a self-administered questionnaire. Behaviours were linked to the individual’s clinical records using national surveillance. The prevalence and incidence of bacterial STIs (gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, lymphogranuloma venereum and syphilis) and incidence of HIV were calculated. Adjusted odds ratios and hazard ratios with 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported for significant predictors. Of 1278 HIV-negative MSM, 54% were of white ethnicity and UK-born and 43% were 25–34 years old. Almost all men reported at least one partner in the last three months. Half reported condomless anal sex and 36% condomless receptive anal intercourse (CRAI). Incidence of bacterial STIs was 46/100 (95%CI 39–54) person years (py) and of HIV was 3.1/100 (95%CI 1.7–5.6) py. A STI at baseline and CRAI with increasing numbers of partners were associated with both incident infections. In this cohort of MSM high-risk behaviours and STIs were prevalent. Engagement in CRAI increased the likelihood of subsequent infection, while men diagnosed with a bacterial STI were at increased risk of a future STI. Clinical and behavioural risk assessments to determine an individual’s risk of infection could allow a more nuanced prevention approach that has greater success in reducing transmission.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 805-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Li ◽  
Xiaohong Su ◽  
Wenjing Le ◽  
Sai Li ◽  
Zhaoyan Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) causes symptomatic urethritis in men, and can infect alone or together with other sexually transmitted infection (STI) agents. Methods The prevalence of MG and other STIs was determined in 1816 men with symptomatic urethritis. Resistance of MG to macrolides and fluoroquinolones was determined by sequencing; the impact of recent antimicrobial usage on the distribution of MG single or mixed infections was determined. Results Overall, prevalence of MG infection was 19.7% (358/1816). Fifty-four percent (166/307) of MG infections occurred alone in the absence of other STI agents. Men with single MG infection self-administered or were prescribed antibiotics more often in the 30 days prior to enrollment than subjects with urethritis caused by MG coinfection (P &lt; .0001). Higher rates (96.7%) of infection with macrolide resistance in MG were identified in men who had taken macrolides prior to enrollment (P &lt; .03). Overall, 88.9% (303/341) of 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes contained mutations responsible for macrolide resistance; 89.5% (308/344) of parC and 12.4% (42/339) of gyrA genes had mutations responsible for fluoroquinolone resistance. Approximately 88% (270/308) of MG had combined mutations in 23S rRNA and parC genes; 10.4% (32/308) had mutations in all 3 genes. Conclusions MG was the single pathogen identified in 11% of men with symptomatic urethritis. Overall, nearly 90% of MG infections were resistant to macrolides and fluoroquinolones. Men who took macrolides in the 30 days prior to enrollment had higher rates (97%) of macrolide-resistant MG. Resistance was associated with numerous mutations in 23SrRNA, parC, and gyrA genes.


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