Mpox, a viral zoonotic disease, recently emerged as a growing public health concern in the United States. During the 2022 outbreak, a disease investigation team was established by a local health department as part of its emergency response. This report presents an evaluation of the range of outcomes achieved by this team; a composite score was calculated to determine that the team achieved almost two outcomes for every completed investigation. Health departments may consider similar approaches to conduct program evaluations.

A recent study examined the trends in testing, positivity, and treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhoea among individuals aged ≥15 years at an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service from 2016 to 2021. The findings revealed variation in testing rates, with higher rates among young adults and females, and highlighted sex disparities in treatment and follow-up care. The research underscores the importance of targeted public health strategies to improve sexual health outcomes in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples populations.

Gonorrhoea is the second most common notified sexually transmissible infection in Australia with increased concern of the emergence of antimicrobial resistance strains. Our study found that approximately half of gonorrhoea cases did not have guideline-recommended dual antibiotic prescriptions recorded, and two-thirds of gonorrhoea cases were not retested within the recommended retesting timeframe. Further work in integrating Australian STI guidelines into primary routine care and understanding care pathways for people with gonorrhoea infection is urgently needed.

This review synthesises global evidence regarding determinants of access to and characteristics of quality non-directive pregnancy options counselling (POC), a crucial component of reproductive health care that supports informed decision making. It finds anti-abortion policies and professionals’ abortion-related attitudes are primary determinants of access and quality. Upskilling health professionals to deliver non-directive POC and embedding referral pathways to non-directive POC throughout the health system will support Australia is to achieve its commitments to universal access to reproductive health care by 2030.

A recent study examined the trends in testing, positivity, and treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhoea among individuals aged ≥15 years at an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service from 2016 to 2021. The findings revealed variation in testing rates, with higher rates among young adults and females, and highlighted sex disparities in treatment and follow-up care. The research underscores the importance of targeted public health strategies to improve sexual health outcomes in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.

HPV-associated cancers are likely to rise as survival with HIV increases. Knowing the community levels of understanding of personal risk would help tailor educational strategies to promote prevention-seeking behavior. Our study suggests a low understanding of HPV’s carcinogenicity, but those aware of its carcinogenicity are more likely to identify male-associated cancers, suggesting that HIV care centers have an opportunity to expand education on cancer risk among their aging population.

Recent studies demonstrate the concerning extent of sexual violence experienced by Australian university students and the resulting psychological, emotional, and physical harms. This study aims to understand experiences and contributing factors of non-consensual sex among university students in south-east Queensland, Australia. Findings demonstrate that interventions to reduce non-consensual sex and promote healthy sexual experiences need to reflect the complex, relational, and highly contextual nature of affirmative consent influenced by perceived behavioural control and subjective norms.

For individuals who test positive using web-based, sexually transmitted infection testing services, getting treatment can be challenging. Our study found that primary care providers in outer metro and regional Victoria were willing to treat individuals who used web-based services, but raised concerns about administering online prescriptions and lack of injectable antibiotics available on-site at clinics for free, same-day treatment. Capacity-building and additional resourcing of local, partner clinics may be needed to enable effective, client-centered referrals from online to in-person sexual health services.

Understanding young people’s preferences and motivations for partner notification can help to reduce the risks of STIs. Our survey of young people aged 15–29 years in Victoria, Australia, found that most want to notify and be notified by partners, regardless of age, gender or sexual identity, and prefer to notify regular partners face-to-face and casual partners via text message. Tailoring resources by communication method and partner type can support young people in undertaking this important step in STI control.