What proportion of sexually transmissible infections and HIV are diagnosed in New South Wales’ public sexual health services compared with other services?
Chris Bourne A O , Debbie Allen B , Katherine Brown C , Stephen C. Davies D , Anna McNulty E , Don E. Smith F , Catherine C. O’Connor G , Deborah Couldwell H , Eva Jackson I , Michale Bolton J , Craig Rodgers K , Pam Konecny L , David J. Smith M and Angela Parker NA NSW Sexually Transmitted Infections Programs Unit, PO Box 1614, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia.
B Holden Street Sexual Health Clinic, PO Box 361, Gosford, NSW 2250, Australia.
C Illawarra Sexual Health Services, PO Box 21, Warrawong, NSW 2502, Australia.
D North Shore Sexual Health Service, Clinic 16, Herbert Street, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.
E Sydney Sexual Health Centre, PO Box 1614, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia.
F Albion Street Centre, 150 Albion Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia.
G Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sexual Health, 25 Lucas Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.
H Parramatta Sexual Health Clinic, 162 Marsden Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia.
I Nepean/Blue Mountains Sexual Health & HIV Clinics, Nepean Hospital, Kingswood, NSW 2747, Australia.
J Greater Southern HIV and Related Programs Unit, 63 Johnston Street, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
K Kirketon Road Centre, Victoria Street, Kings Cross, NSW 2011, Australia.
L Short Street Centre, Short Street, Kogarah, NSW 2217, Australia.
M Lismore Sexual Health Services, 4 Shepherd Lane, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
N Western NSW and Greater Western NSW, HIV and Related Programs Manager, PO Box 29, Mudgee, NSW 2850, Australia.
O Corresponding author. Email: christopher.bourne@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Sexual Health 10(2) 119-123 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH12020
Submitted: 8 August 2012 Accepted: 17 September 2012 Published: 1 March 2013
Abstract
Background: In New South Wales (NSW), publicly funded sexual health services (PFSHSs) target the populations at greatest risk for important sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and so may make a large contribution to the diagnosis of notifiable STIs. We aimed to determine the proportions of STIs diagnosed in PFSHSs and notified to the NSW Ministry of Health in 2009, and describe geographical variations. Methods: The number of notifiable STIs (infectious syphilis, gonorrhoea, HIV and chlamydia) diagnosed in 2009 was obtained for each Area Health Service (AHS) and each PFSHS. The proportion of diagnoses made by PFSHSs was calculated at the state and AHS level according to five geographical regions: inner and outer metropolitan, regional, rural and remote. Results: The overall proportions of diagnoses made by NSW PFSHSs were syphilis, 25%; gonorrhoea, 25%; HIV, 21%; and chlamydia, 14%. Within each zone, the proportions of these STIs were (respectively): (i) inner metropolitan: 32%, 26%, 21% and 13%; (ii) outer metropolitan: 41%, 24%, 43% and 9%; (iii) regional: 62%, 15%, 23% and 10%; (iv) rural: 8%, 29%, <5% and 20%; and (v) remote: <5%, 43%, <5% and 29%. There was considerable variation in proportions of STIs between and within AHSs (<5–100%). Conclusions: NSW PFSHSs contribute a large proportion of diagnoses for syphilis, gonorrhoea and HIV, but less so for chlamydia. Across AHSs and zones, there was considerable variation in the proportions. These data support the role of PFSHS in identifying and managing important STIs in high-risk populations.
Additional keywords: area health services, Australia, metropolitan, rural, urban.
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