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Behavioral & Social Science

Category: COVID-19 impact

(P34) Impact of COVID-19 on Sexually Transmitted Infections and Nurse-led HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Initiation and Retention at Cool Aid Community Health Centre for Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)

Tuesday, July 25, 2023
16:00 – 18:00 CST


Background:

Gay, bisexual and MSM continue to comprise the greatest number of new HIV diagnosis in BC (BCCDC, 2019). STI screening and treatment has provided opportunities to explore HIV risk with MSM and assess if BC publicly funded PrEP is an appropriate intervention strategy. COVID-19 has had major sexual health implications for all Canadians, including target groups for PrEP.



Description of model of intervention:

This novel Community Health Centre based Men’s STI Testing Clinic is staffed by STI certified practice nurses and run in partnership with AIDS Vancouver Island. Our nurse-led model enrolled 124 gbMSM in 2018, the initial year of the BC PrEP program. There have been no HIV infections amongst PrEP recipients. COVID restrictions meant a closure of Men’s Testing Night and limited access to in-person testing, with longer (120 vs 90 day) prescriptions for PrEP.



Impacts of COVID:

From January 2019 until COVID lockdown March 2020, an average of 35.3 monthly STI screenings were completed with 3.3 positive rectal chlamydia/gonorrhea and syphilis results per month. In the same time frame 5.1 clients were started on PrEP per month. In the first six months of COVID restrictions, average monthly STI tests fell to 18, with 1.8 monthly positive rectal chlamydia/gonorrhea and syphilis tests and 3.3 PrEP starts. In total, just 52 (28.7%) of those who started on PrEP in 2018-19 have continued on PrEP.





Conclusion:

While there has been an increase in connection to STI testing and PrEP as COVID restrictions have lifted, the rate of positive STI’s continues to impact the sexual health of this population.