(P351) Reach and Use of an Internet-based Sexually-transmitted and Blood-borne Infection Testing Survey During Scale-up to Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities in British Columbia, Canada

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

16:00 – 18:00 CST

Primary Presenter(s)

Rodrigo Alejandro Sierra-Rosales, MD (they/he)

MSc in Population and Public Health Student
University of British Columbia / BC Centre for Disease Control
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Co-author(s)

Aidan Ablona, MPH (he/him/his)

Data Analyst
BC Centre for Disease Control, Canada
HC

Hsiu-Ju Chang

BC Centre for Disease Control
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CP

Cheryl Prescott

Fraser Health Authority
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
DH

Dee Hoyano

Island Health Authority
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
AP

Amy Prangnell

Island Health Authority
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
MK

Maja Karlsson

Interior Health Authority
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
JB

Jessica Bridgeman

Interior Health Authority
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
DH

Devon Haag

BC Centre for Disease Control
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
HP

Heather Pedersen

BC Centre for Disease Control
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
NL

Nathan J. Lachowsky

Associate Professor
Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
DH

Darren Ho

Community-Based Research Centre
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CW

Catherine Worthington

Prof
Social DImensions of Health, Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria
victoria, British Columbia, Canada
DG

Daniel Grace

University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Mark Gilbert, MD

Public Health Physician
BC Centre for Disease Control / University of British Columbia
Vancouver, United States

Background: Implementation outcomes within populations are key to assessing the impact of online testing services, but are not commonly measured. GetCheckedOnline, British Columbia’s online sexually-transmitted and blood-borne infection (STBBI) testing service, is being scaled up in the province, with two waves of expansion from Vancouver to seven urban, suburban and rural communities. We assessed post-expansion reach (awareness), use, and intention to use in these communities.

Methods: Between July-Sept 2022, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in each community, recruiting in-person and online with oversampling among populations affected by STBBI. Eligible participants were ³16 years old, sexually active, and BC residents. Questions evaluated awareness, use, and intention to use GetCheckedOnline; these outcomes and key sample characteristics are described.

Results: 1657 eligible individuals were recruited, of whom 67.0% (1099/1641) identified as White, 10.2% (151/1477) as trans and 53.0% (793/1496) as non-heterosexual. Mean age was 33 years (SD 11.8); 39.1% (566/1447) had used illegal/non-prescribed drugs (past year), and 21.5% (315/1466) had ever been homeless. A fifth (20.7%, 319/1543) had never tested for STBBIs, and 66.8% (990/1483) reported experiencing barriers accessing providers for testing in the past year (e.g., long wait times). Almost half (45.1%, 663/1470) reported 3 or more sexual partners (last year), and 35.1% (520/1479) had ever been diagnosed with an STBBI, of whom 29.2% (102/349) had their most recent diagnosis during last year. Overall, 35.8% (584/1633) were aware of GetCheckedOnline, of whom 56.3% had used the service (324/576). These outcomes varied by wave of expansion: in Wave 1 communities (2016) awareness was 39.6% and use among aware was 60.1% versus 18.1% and 38.3% in Wave 2 communities (2019-2020), respectively. For 91.1% of participants (1334/1465), it was very easy/easy to go online when needed, and 63.1% (1020/1616) were very likely/likely to use GetCheckedOnline in the future.

Conclusion: Our study suggests GetCheckedOnline is improving access to STBBI testing in these communities, with half of people aware of the service using it in a sample where barriers to accessing provider-based testing were common. However, only a third of participants were aware of the service, and further promotion of GetCheckedOnline to increase reach may be beneficial.