Trends in Testing and Self-Reported Diagnoses of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Gay and Bisexual Men in Australia, 2017-2021: Analysis of National Behavioural Surveillance Surveys

Chan, Curtis; Holt, Martin; Broady, Timothy R.; Traeger, Michael; Mao, Limin; Grulich, Andrew E.; Prestage, Garrett; MacGibbon, James; Rule, John; Bavinton, Benjamin R.

doi:10.1097/olq.0000000000001870

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…9 It is important to note however that STI testing has also been reported to have declined among GBM in Australia in recent years. 19 Ascertaining whether HCV testing is due at any given clinic on an annual frequency may require additional review of clinical records. Specific to RNA testing, unless someone is currently being treated, HCV RNA testing in Australia is only reimbursed once per year.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To examine trends in the proportion tested and the proportion positive, bivariate logistic regression without adjustment was used with year as a continuous independent variable where the OR represents the mean change in odds of the outcome (proportion tested or proportion positive) per year. 19 Due to COVID-19, separate analyses were conducted to examine trends from 2016 to 2019 and 2020 to 2022.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Annual hepatitis C testing and positive tests among gay and bisexual men in Australia from 2016 to 2022: a serial cross-sectional analysis of sentinel surveillance data

Harney,

Sacks-Davis,

Traeger

et al. 2024

Sex Transm Infect

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ObjectiveGuidelines recommend annual hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for gay and bisexual men (GBM) with HIV and GBM prescribed HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, there is a limited understanding of HCV testing among GBM. We aimed to examine trends in HCV testing and positivity from 2016 to 2022.MethodsUsing sentinel surveillance data, we examined the proportion of GBM with at least one test and the proportion with a positive test in each year for HCV antibody testing among GBM with no previous HCV positive test, HCV RNA testing among GBM with a positive antibody test but no previous positive RNA test (naïve RNA testing), and HCV RNA testing among people who had a previous RNA positive test and a subsequent negative test (RNA follow-up testing). Trends were examined using logistic regression from 2016 to 2019 and 2020 to 2022.ResultsAmong GBM with HIV, from 2016 to 2019 antibody testing was stable averaging 55% tested annually. Declines were observed for both naïve HCV RNA testing (75.4%–41.4%: p<0.001) and follow-up HCV RNA testing (70.1%–44.5%: p<0.001). Test positivity declined for HCV antibody tests (2.0%–1.3%: p=0.001), HCV RNA naïve tests (75.4%–41.4%: p<0.001) and HCV RNA follow-up tests (11.3%–3.3%: p=0.001). There were minimal or no significant trends from 2020 to 2022.Among GBM prescribed PrEP, antibody testing declined from 2016 to 2019 (79.4%–69.4%: p<0.001) and was stable from 2020 to 2022. Naïve and follow-up HCV RNA testing was stable with an average of 55% and 60% tested each year, respectively. From 2016–2019, the proportion positive from HCV RNA naïve tests declined (44.1%–27.5%: p<0.046) with no significant change thereafter. Positive follow-up HCV RNA tests fluctuated with no or one new positive test among this group in most years.ConclusionThe proportion of GBM with positive HCV tests has declined, however a substantial proportion are not tested annually. A renewed focus on HCV testing, and treatment where required, is warranted to achieve HCV elimination among GBM in Australia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%