Sonubi, Tamilore;
Sheik-Mohamud, Dahir;
Ratna, Natasha;
Bell, James;
Talebi, Alireza;
Mercer, Catherine H;
Sinka, Katy;
... Mohammed, Hamish; + view all
(2023)
STI testing, diagnoses and online chlamydia self-sampling among young people during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England.
International Journal of STD & AIDS
10.1177/09564624231180641.
(In press).
Preview |
PDF
Sonubi et al IJSA 2023 - accepted version.pdf - Other Download (852kB) | Preview |
Abstract
PURPOSE: COVID-19 control measures reduced face-to-face appointments at sexual health services (SHSs). Remote access to SHSs through online self-sampling was increased. This analysis assesses how these changes affected service use and STI testing among 15-24 year olds ('young people') in England. METHODS: Data on all chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis tests from 2019-2020, among English-resident young people were obtained from national STI surveillance datasets. We calculated proportional differences in tests and diagnoses for each STI, by demographic characteristics, including socioeconomic deprivation, between 2019-2020. Binary logistic regression was used to determine crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) between demographic characteristics and being tested for chlamydia by an online service. RESULTS: Compared to 2019, there were declines in testing (chlamydia-30%; gonorrhoea-26%; syphilis-36%) and diagnoses (chlamydia-31%; gonorrhoea-25%; syphilis-23%) among young people in 2020. Reductions were greater amongst 15-19 year-olds vs. 20-24 year-olds. Amongst people tested for chlamydia, those living in the least deprived areas were more likely to be tested using an online self-sampling kit (males; OR = 1.24 [1.22-1.26], females; OR = 1.28 [1.27-1.30]). CONCLUSION: The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England saw declines in STI testing and diagnoses in young people and disparities in the use of online chlamydia self-sampling which risk widening existing health inequalities.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | STI testing, diagnoses and online chlamydia self-sampling among young people during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England |
| Location: | England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1177/09564624231180641 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1177/09564624231180641 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute for Global Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute for Global Health > Infection and Population Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10174635 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
