Optimising the delivery of sexual health services in Australia: a qualitative study
Varsicka Kularadhan
A B , Christopher K. Fairley C D , Marcus Chen C D , Jade Bilardi C D E , Ria Fortune C , Eric P. F. Chow C D F , Tiffany Philips C D § and Jason J. Ong C D G § *
A Monash University, School of Rural Health, Bendigo, Vic., Australia.
B Bendigo Health, Bendigo, Vic., Australia.
C Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
D Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
E Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
F Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
G Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Handling Editor: Jane Hocking
Sexual Health 19(4) 376-385 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH22024
Submitted: 29 January 2022 Accepted: 27 July 2022 Published: 23 August 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Background: With a rise in sexually transmitted infections in Australia, it is important to evaluate and optimise current sexual health services to reduce barriers to access and increase testing. We aimed to describe the range of sexual health services in Australia, focusing on strategies to improve testing among priority populations, and any future strategies participants believed would improve service delivery.
Methods: We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with key informants working in Australian sexual health services from July to December 2020, and collected data on service characteristics and strategies to improve access. We used content analysis, then coded and categorised the data into recurring themes and sub-themes.
Results: We identified two major themes: ‘Expanding Traditional Service Delivery’ and ‘Thinking Outside the Box’. The first theme outlines strategies that build upon pre-existing service delivery models, such as express clinics and an increased focus on confidentiality. The second theme outlines new strategies introduced to fill gaps in service delivery, such as self-testing and outreach.
Conclusions: To improve access to HIV/STI testing, there is a need for multiple access points to cater for a range of populations and their preferences. Establishing strategies to accomplish this involves utilising a combination of expanding traditional service models and implementing new approaches to service delivery.
Keywords: Australian sexual health services, health service delivery, HIV, priority populations, service providers, sexually transmitted infection, strategies, strategies to optimise.
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