Higher Sexually Transmissible Infection Test Yield Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Attending a Community-Based...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Sexual Health

Background:

• Asymptomatic men who have sex with men (MSM) are a key population for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening.
• Comparing the yield of STI testing between community-based and clinic-based services is crucial for optimizing public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the overall yield of STI testing among asymptomatic MSM between community-based and clinic-based services.
• To determine if specific STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, infectious syphilis) show differential detection rates based on service setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of STI testing data from January 2014 to December 2015.
• Inclusion of asymptomatic MSM participants.
• Comparison of infection detection rates between community-based and clinic-based services.

Main Results:

• The overall yield of STI testing was two-fold higher in community-based services compared to clinic-based services.
• Higher yields were observed for chlamydia (9.0% vs 4.9%), gonorrhea (6.5% vs 3.1%), and infectious syphilis (0.9% vs 0.1%) at community-based services.
• Statistical significance (P < 0.05) was found for all compared infections.

Conclusions:

• Community-based STI testing services are more effective in identifying infections among asymptomatic MSM.
• Public health initiatives should consider leveraging community-based settings to enhance STI detection and control efforts in MSM populations.