ArticlePloS one2014
Testing commercial sex workers for sexually transmitted infections in Victoria, Australia: an evaluation of the impact of reducing the frequency of testing.
Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Sex Worker Health Outcomes in High-Income Countries of Varied Regulatory Environments: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Pooled it
- A multicentre double-blind randomised controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of daily use of antibacterial mouthwash against oropharyngeal gonorrhoea among men who have sex with men: the OMEGA (Oral Mouthwash use to Eradicate GonorrhoeA) study protocol.BMC infectious diseases · 2017Trial
- Understanding Risk Factors for Oropharyngeal Gonorrhea Among Sex Workers Attending Sexual Health Clinics in 2 Australian Cities: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2024Article
- Increased syphilis testing and detection of late latent syphilis among women after switching from risk-based to opt-out testing strategy in an urban Australian sexual health clinic: a retrospective observational study.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2023Article
- Patterns of Sexual Practices, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Other Genital Infections in Women Who Have Sex with Women Only (WSWO), Women Who Have Sex with Men Only (WSMO) and Women Who Have Sex with Men and Women (WSMW): Findings from a Sexual Health Clinic in Melbourne, Australia, 2011-2019.Archives of sexual behavior · 2022Article
- Time to healthcare seeking following the onset of symptoms among men and women attending a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia.Frontiers in medicine · 2022Article
- Sexual Activities and Changes in Condom Use in Group Sex Events Among Female Sex Workers in Melbourne, Australia.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Sexually Transmitted Infection Diagnoses and Access to a Sexual Health Service Before and After the National Lockdown for COVID-19 in Melbourne, Australia.Open forum infectious diseases · 2021Article
- Clinical presentation of asymptomatic and symptomatic women who tested positive for genital gonorrhoea at a sexual health service in Melbourne, Australia.Epidemiology and infection · 2020Article
- Article
- Concordance of gonorrhoea of the rectum, pharynx and urethra in same-sex male partnerships attending a sexual health service in Melbourne, Australia.BMC infectious diseases · 2018Article
- Non-consensual condom removal, reported by patients at a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia.PloS one · 2018Article
- Concordance of chlamydia infections of the rectum and urethra in same-sex male partnerships: a cross-sectional analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2017Article
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae Bacterial DNA Load in the Pharynges and Saliva of Men Who Have Sex with Men.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2016Article
- Duration of syphilis symptoms at presentations in men who have sex with men in Australia: are current public health campaigns effective?Epidemiology and infection · 2016Article
- HIV Incidence and Predictors of Incident HIV among Men Who Have Sex with Men Attending a Sexual Health Clinic in Melbourne, Australia.PloS one · 2016Article
- Public health interventions to control syphilis.Sexual health · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe frequency of testing sex workers for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Victoria, Australia, was changed from monthly to quarterly on 6 October 2012. Our aim was to determine the impact of this change to the clients seen at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MHSC).
methodsComputerised medical records of all clients attending at MHSC from 7 October 2011 to 7 October 2013 were analysed.
resultsComparing between the monthly and quarterly testing periods, the number of consultations at MSHC with female sex workers (FSW) halved from 6146 to 3453 (p<0.001) and the consultation time spent on FSW reduced by 40.6% (1942 h to 1153 h). More heterosexual men (p<0.001), and women (p<0.001) were seen in the quarterly testing period. The number of STIs diagnosed in the clinic increased from 2243 to 2589 from the monthly to quarterly period, respectively [15.4% increase (p<0.001)]. Up to AU$247,000 was saved on FSW testing after the shift to quarterly testing.
conclusionsThe change to STIs screening frequency for sex workers from monthly to quarterly resulted in a 15% increase in STI diagnoses in the clinic and approximate a quarter of a million dollars was diverted from FSW testing to other clients. Overall the change in frequency is likely to have had a beneficial effect on STI control in Victoria.
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