Participatory approaches to delivering clinical sexually transmitted infections services: a narrative review

Abstract

Although sexual health programming and clinical sexually transmitted infections (STIs) services have traditionally been developed through 'top-down' approaches, there is emerging evidence that participatory approaches benefit the development and implementation of such services. Although other studies have already highlighted the benefits of participation in research and implementation of clinical STIs services delivery, this narrative review focuses on how community participation in clinical STIs services delivery has been operationalised and on the various aspects of clinical STIs services delivery in which participatory processes have been implemented. A PubMed search was conducted in January 2022 using the search terms that reflected the topic of participatory processes in clinical STIs services delivery to identify relevant papers. Only peer-reviewed papers published in English were reviewed, and no timeframe was selected. After reviewing existing studies, we identified how community participation has been incorporated across stages of clinical STIs service delivery, including planning, developing, delivering, evaluating, and scaling up, as well as gaps and challenges faced in implementing such approaches. This review highlighted how a wide range of participatory processes characterised by varying depths of participation have been used in the above processes. Challenges such as funding, socio-cultural barriers, technical barriers and the digital divide, issues of quality assurance, and standardising the measurement of participation remain, which may impede the uptake of participatory processes in clinical STIs services.

Public health services and intersectional stigma: a social sciences perspective with implications for HIV service design and delivery

“…A few studies reported structural level changes, including positive influences on clinic wait times, service coverage for key populations, reduced treatment stockouts, as well as the reduction or elimination of exclusionary practices. Recent narrative reviews on participatory approaches towards the delivery of clinical sexually transmitted infections services, and digital approaches to improving community engagement in clinical trials chart potential pathways towards strengthening community-led health services [54 ▪ ,55].…”

Acceptability of an existing online sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection testing model among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Ontario, Canada

“… 31 Increased community engagement and leadership in the design, delivery and scale-up of STBBI services may also increase uptake in these communities as well. 32 , 33 We have also found GCO to be a cost-effective alternative for HIV testing among GBM living in Vancouver, BC when compared to clinic-based HIV testing services, 34 which may encourage policy makers to consider implementing a similar service in Ontario.…”

Fostering citizen‐engaged HIV implementation science

“…Citizens have also been involved in the implementation of interventions. These include involving communities in the planning, developing, delivering, evaluating, and scaling up of clinical HIV and sexually transmitted infections services [33], as well as leveraging individual (e.g. individual community member involvement in research activities), interpersonal (e.g.…”