Abstract

Strategies for increasing males testing for sexually transmitted infections in Douglas County, Nebraska

Tambudzai Ndashe, MPH1, Leah Casanave, DrPH, MPH2, Marisa Rosen, MPH1 and Melissa Tibbits, PhD, MS1
(1)University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, (2)Douglas County Health Department, Omaha, NE

APHA 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 4 - Nov. 8)

Background: The rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and gonorrhea in Douglas County, Nebraska have been higher than national rates for nearly 20 years. Although STI rates generally are higher for females than they are for males, ensuring that sexually active males receive regular STI testing is important not only for male health, but to protect women who do get screened and/or treated for STIs from getting re-infected by their undiagnosed male partners. The objective of this study was to examine differences in STI testing among males and females in clinic and outreach testing locations. Method: We examined the number of chlamydia and gonorrhea tests for males and females conducted by the Douglas County Health Department in clinic and outreach settings between 2013 and 2016. Clinic settings included the Douglas County Health Department’s STI clinics, while outreach settings included public libraries, community centers, community colleges, outreach events and day reporting center probation offices. Results: Out of the 21,556 people tested between 2013 and 2016, 57% were males. Of all the males tested (n = 12,301), 67% were tested in outreach settings as opposed to 33% tested in the clinic. Interestingly, of all the females tested (n = 9,255), 74% were tested in the clinic compared with 26% in outreach settings. Conclusions: STI testing in outreach settings presents an opportunity for increasing testing rates among the male population. However, there is a need for further research on whether these settings are an effective means of ensuring repeated STI testing for males and what age-groups among males are more likely to seek STI testing services in these settings over clinical settings.

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