This study used data sourced from Twitter to characterise social media conversations about syphilis. Accurate medical information was limited, whereas tweets about personal experience generated the most engagement. Coupling medical resources and personal experiences may support public health education on social media ..read more

Chemsex, a type of sexualised drug use, has been associated with potential harm among gay men and it is important to understand users’ experience of related services. Parisian men practising chemsex who attended harm reduction consultations in an infectious disease unit completed a questionnaire: most were frequent users, followed by specialists, and many had attended emergency services. Most were satisfied and reported reduced risks after consultations. Easily-accessible preventive and therapeutic services in centres attended by users may be beneficial ..read more

Chlamydia remains as the most notified bacterial sexually transmissible infection in Australia and repeat infections can lead to significant reproductive complications, particularly for women. Guidelines recommended retesting at 3 months following a chlamydia diagnosis, but current retesting rates in line with guidelines are low, and re-infections are common. Increased efforts to improve timely retesting can aid in earlier identification, management and reduced risk of disease burden ..read more

Ever present in our digital world, misinformation continues to threaten public health efforts and, in some cases, stigmatises specific groups. Our work investigated the evolving rhetoric surrounding monkeypox (mpox) during the 2022 outbreak on Instagram, discovering that perhaps early dialogue singling out men who have sex with men shifted discussions online to combat this misinformation. By understanding the way misinformation is spread, we can better protect against it and create improved communication strategies ..read more

International travel can increase the risk of exposure to infectious diseases including sexually transmissible infections and human immunodeficiency virus. This study explored how travel medicine clinicians integrate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services into clinical practice. Our findings highlighted gaps in the provision of pre-travel consultation and training needs for SRH among travel medicine clinicians, and the potential for improved promotion of sexual health among travellers to provide important public health benefits for individuals and the wider community ..read more

Pathology results management contributes to a significant proportion of the workload at sexual health services. This study estimates the client outcomes and costs of the existing nurse-led urgent results management model at the Sydney Sexual Health Centre compared to an ordering clinician model. The nurse-led model demonstrated improved time to notification and treatment and health system savings of 33 h of staff time per week and A$121 524 annually. Nurse-led models continue to provide value and effectiveness within sexual health services ..read more

Transgender women who work in the sex industry face difficulties accessing health care facilities. This population is recognised worldwide as a high-risk group for sexually transmitted infections and HIV In this paper, we describe challenges for accessing healthcare amongst transgender women sex workers in Iran ..read more

Women living with HIV are a minority in Australia. They present unique healthcare challenges, particularly relating to sexual and reproductive health. Evidence shows higher rates of unplanned pregnancy and lower rates of long-acting-reversible contraception use among women living with HIV. We highlight gaps in care at an Australian metropolitan centre and suggest contraceptive options used by women living with HIV may be changing in the era of modern HIV treatment. We suggest changes in care provision to meet demand, including use of ‘women-centred’ models of care ..read more

People from Black ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections. In this paper, we reviewed existing literature to understand the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase engagement with sexual healthcare among people of Black ethnicity. Our findings highlight the importance of considering sociocultural, structural and socio-economic barriers to increasing engagement with sexual healthcare. Matching the intervention facilitators’ demographics and lived experience to intervention recipients may further increase engagement and trust ..read more

This study uncovers an often-overlooked issue: the limited research on access to sexual health services among gay Arab men in Western countries. Findings in this publication reveal significant gaps in knowledge for this population, particularly in areas where strides have been made in reducing HIV transmission. The implications are far-reaching, as addressing these disparities is essential for ensuring equitable healthcare for underrepresented communities. By shedding light on this hidden population, this study paves the way for targeted interventions and policy changes to promote inclusive an ..read more