Downloaded from http://sti.bmj.com/ on April 6, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Health services research
LETTER
Promoting HIV testing, chlamydia testing and longacting reversible contraception Phillips et al1 found that a third of inpatients had HIV tests following implementation of a routine HIV testing policy at Croydon University Hospital. We recently found similar rates of HIV testing in young women in the community in our medical student research projects. In line with the 2013 Framework for Sexual Health Improvement’s ‘three specific indicators for sexual health’,2 we investigated reported uptake of HIV testing, chlamydia testing and long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) in young women attending a further education college and a university in London. In September 2013, consecutive women in common room areas were invited to complete a confidential questionnaire on sexual health. The response rate among women at Lambeth College was 78% (77/ 99). The mean age of responders was 18 years (range 16–24), and 43% described themselves as being of black ethnicity, 19% white and 38% of other ethnicity. Of the 39 (51%) women
who said they were sexually active, 51% (20/39) had been tested for HIV in the past year and 78% (28/36) for chlamydia. A third (13/39) were currently using LARC (implant n=10, injection n=3). The response rate among women at London Southbank University was 92% (79/86). The mean age of responders was 21 years (range 18–25) and 38% were from ethnic minorities. In the past year, 32% (25/79) had been tested for HIV and 34% (26/77) for chlamydia. Only 5% (4/79) reported the use of LARC in the past year, all of these being the implant. We agree with Phillips and colleagues that late diagnosis of HIV is a major public health problem. The recent Natsal report found that 29% of women, but only 14% of men aged 16–24 years, reported being tested for HIV in the past 5 years.3 Although rates of HIV testing in sexually active, multiethnic young women in our study were encouraging, it is also crucial to promote HIV testing in young men.
Acknowledgements We thank students and staff at Lambeth College and London Southbank University. Competing interests None. Ethics approval The anonymous questionnaire surveys were done as medical student research projects. The studies (including protocol, participant information leaflet and questionnaire) were given ethical approval by Professor Paul Booton FRCP FRCGP, one of the Student Selected Component course organisers at St George’s. The two educational institutions also gave permission. Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed. To cite Tear A, Herbert J, Oakeshott P. Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:207. Received 2 January 2014 Accepted 2 January 2014 Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:207. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2014-051505
REFERENCES 1
2
Anne Tear, Jessica Herbert, Pippa Oakeshott Population and Health Sciences and Education, St Georges, University of London, UK Correspondence to Jessica Herbert, St Georges, University of London, Crammer Terrace, London Sw17 0RE, UK; [email protected]
Dodd RH, et al. Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:201–207. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2013-051402
3
Philips D, Barbour A, Stevenson J, et al. Implementation of a routine HIV testing policy in an acute medical setting in a UK general hospital: a cross sectional study. Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:185–7. Department of Health, Improving outcomes and supporting transparency, November 2013; 53, 91,99 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/263662/2901502_ PHOF_Improving_Outcomes_PT2_v1_1.pdf (acessed 13 Dec 2013) Sonnenberg P, Clifton S, Beddows S, et al. Prevalence, risk factors, and uptake of interventions for sexually transmitted infections in Britain: findings from the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal). Lancet 2013;382:1795–806
207
Downloaded from http://sti.bmj.com/ on April 6, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Promoting HIV testing, chlamydia testing and long-acting reversible contraception Anne Tear, Jessica Herbert and Pippa Oakeshott Sex Transm Infect 2014 90: 207
doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2014-051505 Updated information and services can be found at: http://sti.bmj.com/content/90/3/207
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References Email alerting service
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Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
Health services research
LETTER
Promoting HIV testing, chlamydia testing and longacting reversible contraception Phillips et al1 found that a third of inpatients had HIV tests following implementation of a routine HIV testing policy at Croydon University Hospital. We recently found similar rates of HIV testing in young women in the community in our medical student research projects. In line with the 2013 Framework for Sexual Health Improvement’s ‘three specific indicators for sexual health’,2 we investigated reported uptake of HIV testing, chlamydia testing and long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) in young women attending a further education college and a university in London. In September 2013, consecutive women in common room areas were invited to complete a confidential questionnaire on sexual health. The response rate among women at Lambeth College was 78% (77/ 99). The mean age of responders was 18 years (range 16–24), and 43% described themselves as being of black ethnicity, 19% white and 38% of other ethnicity. Of the 39 (51%) women
who said they were sexually active, 51% (20/39) had been tested for HIV in the past year and 78% (28/36) for chlamydia. A third (13/39) were currently using LARC (implant n=10, injection n=3). The response rate among women at London Southbank University was 92% (79/86). The mean age of responders was 21 years (range 18–25) and 38% were from ethnic minorities. In the past year, 32% (25/79) had been tested for HIV and 34% (26/77) for chlamydia. Only 5% (4/79) reported the use of LARC in the past year, all of these being the implant. We agree with Phillips and colleagues that late diagnosis of HIV is a major public health problem. The recent Natsal report found that 29% of women, but only 14% of men aged 16–24 years, reported being tested for HIV in the past 5 years.3 Although rates of HIV testing in sexually active, multiethnic young women in our study were encouraging, it is also crucial to promote HIV testing in young men.
Acknowledgements We thank students and staff at Lambeth College and London Southbank University. Competing interests None. Ethics approval The anonymous questionnaire surveys were done as medical student research projects. The studies (including protocol, participant information leaflet and questionnaire) were given ethical approval by Professor Paul Booton FRCP FRCGP, one of the Student Selected Component course organisers at St George’s. The two educational institutions also gave permission. Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed. To cite Tear A, Herbert J, Oakeshott P. Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:207. Received 2 January 2014 Accepted 2 January 2014 Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:207. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2014-051505
REFERENCES 1
2
Anne Tear, Jessica Herbert, Pippa Oakeshott Population and Health Sciences and Education, St Georges, University of London, UK Correspondence to Jessica Herbert, St Georges, University of London, Crammer Terrace, London Sw17 0RE, UK; [email protected]
Dodd RH, et al. Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:201–207. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2013-051402
3
Philips D, Barbour A, Stevenson J, et al. Implementation of a routine HIV testing policy in an acute medical setting in a UK general hospital: a cross sectional study. Sex Transm Infect 2014;90:185–7. Department of Health, Improving outcomes and supporting transparency, November 2013; 53, 91,99 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/263662/2901502_ PHOF_Improving_Outcomes_PT2_v1_1.pdf (acessed 13 Dec 2013) Sonnenberg P, Clifton S, Beddows S, et al. Prevalence, risk factors, and uptake of interventions for sexually transmitted infections in Britain: findings from the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal). Lancet 2013;382:1795–806
207
Downloaded from http://sti.bmj.com/ on April 6, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Promoting HIV testing, chlamydia testing and long-acting reversible contraception Anne Tear, Jessica Herbert and Pippa Oakeshott Sex Transm Infect 2014 90: 207
doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2014-051505 Updated information and services can be found at: http://sti.bmj.com/content/90/3/207
These include:
References Email alerting service
This article cites 1 articles, 0 of which you can access for free at: http://sti.bmj.com/content/90/3/207#BIBL Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
