Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey
Abstract Objective: Examine the changes in service delivery Australian public sexual health clinics made to remain open during lockdown. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey designed and delivered on Qualtrics was emailed to 21 directors of public sexual health clinics across Australia from July‐August...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13158 |
| _version_ | 1797717688078827520 |
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| author | Tiffany R. Phillips Christopher K. Fairley Basil Donovan Jason J. Ong Anna McNulty Lewis Marshall David J. Templeton Louise Owen Alison Ward Manoji Gunathilake Darren Russell Julian Langton‐Lockton Christopher Bourne Sarah Martin Eric P.F. Chow |
| author_facet | Tiffany R. Phillips Christopher K. Fairley Basil Donovan Jason J. Ong Anna McNulty Lewis Marshall David J. Templeton Louise Owen Alison Ward Manoji Gunathilake Darren Russell Julian Langton‐Lockton Christopher Bourne Sarah Martin Eric P.F. Chow |
| author_sort | Tiffany R. Phillips |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: Examine the changes in service delivery Australian public sexual health clinics made to remain open during lockdown. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey designed and delivered on Qualtrics was emailed to 21 directors of public sexual health clinics across Australia from July‐August 2020 and asked about a variety of changes to service delivery. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Twenty clinics participated, all remained open and reported service changes, including suspension of walk‐in services in eight clinics. Some clinics stopped offering asymptomatic screening for varying patient populations. Most clinics transitioned to a mix of telehealth and face‐to‐face consultations. Nineteen clinics reported delays in testing and 13 reported limitations in testing. Most clinics changed to phone consultations for HIV medication refills (n=15) and eleven clinics prescribed longer repeat prescriptions. Fourteen clinics had staff redeployed to assist the COVID‐19 response. Conclusion: Public sexual health clinics pivoted service delivery to reduce risk of COVID‐19 transmission in clinical settings, managed staffing reductions and delays in molecular testing, and maintained a focus on urgent and symptomatic STI presentations and those at higher risk of HIV/STI acquisition. Implications for public health: Further research is warranted to understand what impact reduced asymptomatic screening may have had on community STI transmission. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:39:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a9c136e0bbc453dabf3d3af94efaa67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:39:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a9c136e0bbc453dabf3d3af94efaa672023-09-02T16:52:55ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052021-12-0145662262710.1111/1753-6405.13158Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online surveyTiffany R. Phillips0Christopher K. Fairley1Basil Donovan2Jason J. Ong3Anna McNulty4Lewis Marshall5David J. Templeton6Louise Owen7Alison Ward8Manoji Gunathilake9Darren Russell10Julian Langton‐Lockton11Christopher Bourne12Sarah Martin13Eric P.F. Chow14Central Clinical School Monash University, Melbourne VictoriaCentral Clinical School Monash University, Melbourne VictoriaKirby Institute UNSW Sydney, Sydney New South WalesCentral Clinical School Monash University, Melbourne VictoriaSydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney New South WalesSouth Terrace Clinic Fremantle Hospital and Health Service Western AustraliaKirby Institute UNSW Sydney, Sydney New South WalesStatewide Sexual Health Services TasmaniaAdelaide Sexual Health Centre Adelaide South AustraliaSexual Health & Blood Borne Virus Unit of Centre for Disease Control, Northern Territory Department of Health Northern TerritoryCairns Sexual Health Service Cairns North QueenslandQueensland Health Brisbane QueenslandKirby Institute UNSW Sydney, Sydney New South WalesCanberra Hospital Canberra Australian Capital TerritoryCentral Clinical School Monash University, Melbourne VictoriaAbstract Objective: Examine the changes in service delivery Australian public sexual health clinics made to remain open during lockdown. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey designed and delivered on Qualtrics was emailed to 21 directors of public sexual health clinics across Australia from July‐August 2020 and asked about a variety of changes to service delivery. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Twenty clinics participated, all remained open and reported service changes, including suspension of walk‐in services in eight clinics. Some clinics stopped offering asymptomatic screening for varying patient populations. Most clinics transitioned to a mix of telehealth and face‐to‐face consultations. Nineteen clinics reported delays in testing and 13 reported limitations in testing. Most clinics changed to phone consultations for HIV medication refills (n=15) and eleven clinics prescribed longer repeat prescriptions. Fourteen clinics had staff redeployed to assist the COVID‐19 response. Conclusion: Public sexual health clinics pivoted service delivery to reduce risk of COVID‐19 transmission in clinical settings, managed staffing reductions and delays in molecular testing, and maintained a focus on urgent and symptomatic STI presentations and those at higher risk of HIV/STI acquisition. Implications for public health: Further research is warranted to understand what impact reduced asymptomatic screening may have had on community STI transmission.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13158service deliverypublic health |
| spellingShingle | Tiffany R. Phillips Christopher K. Fairley Basil Donovan Jason J. Ong Anna McNulty Lewis Marshall David J. Templeton Louise Owen Alison Ward Manoji Gunathilake Darren Russell Julian Langton‐Lockton Christopher Bourne Sarah Martin Eric P.F. Chow Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health service delivery public health |
| title | Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey |
| title_full | Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey |
| title_fullStr | Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey |
| title_short | Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey |
| title_sort | sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 covid 19 pandemic in australia a nationwide online survey |
| topic | service delivery public health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13158 |
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