Chlamydial Infection Among Adolescents and Young Adults Receiving Sexual and Reproductive Health Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent and young adult chlamydial infection is unknown. Patient testing data were extracted from the electronic health records of 10 family planning clinics. Prepandemic and pandemic comparisons revealed an increase in observed chlamydial infection, with greater positivity among Black/African American female adolescent patients.

Racial and ethnic differences in family planning telehealth use during the onset of the COVID-19 response in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

OBJECTIVES: To explore racial/ethnic disparities in family planning telehealth use. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed telehealth and in-clinic visits (n = 3142) from ten family planning clinics (April 1-July 31, 2020) by race/ethnicity and month. RESULTS: Telehealth comprised 1257/3142 (40.0%) of overall visits. Telehealth was used by 242/765 (31.6%) of Black/African American and 31/106 (29.2%) multiracial patients. Patients with unknown (162/295, 54.9%), White (771/1870, 41.2%), and other (51/106, 48.1%) identities comprised the majority of telehealth visits. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found differences in telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic response. IMPLICATIONS: Understanding barriers and facilitators to telehealth is critical to reducing disparities in access.

Transgender Care and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Initiation and Continuation of Transgender Care In-Person and Through Telehealth.

Gender-affirming care is essential to the health and wellbeing of transgender and nonbinary people. The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to disrupt transgender care. This study explores transgender care before and during the onset of the pandemic using patient data from 10 family planning clinics in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. No significant differences were observed in the proportion of transgender care visits pre- or during the pandemic. However, we did find a significantly larger proportion of new transgender patient visits and significantly smaller proportion of established patient visits during the pandemic, with nearly half delivered through telehealth care.

COVID-19 Pandemic, Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Care, and HIV/STI Testing Among Patients Receiving Care in Three HIV Epidemic Priority States.

The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to disrupt HIV prevention services. We conducted an electronic health record analysis of PrEP, HIV, and STI visits at eight sexual health clinics in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma during the onset of the pandemic (March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020) and compared the data with pre-pandemic (March 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019) volumes. Our data revealed a significant increase in the proportion of male PrEP visits during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period, with the majority provided via telehealth/telePrEP. Overall, HIV and STI testing significantly decreased during the pandemic period.

RESUMEN: La pandemia del COVID-19 tiene el potencial de interrumpir los servicios de prevención del VIH. Conducimos un análisis electrónico de expedientes de salud sobre visitas para la PrEP, el VIH, e ITS en ocho diferentes clínicas de salud sexual en Arkansas, Misuri y Oklahoma durante el inicio de la pandemia (1 de marzo de 2020 hasta 30 de junio de 2020) y comparamos esos datos con los índices previos a la pandemia (1 de marzo de 2019 hasta 30 de junio de 2019). Nuestros datos revelaron un aumento significativo en la proporción de visitas para la PrEP por personas masculinas durante la pandemia, comparado al periodo previo a la pandemia, con la mayoría de citas conducidas mediante la telemedicina/telePrEP. En general, las pruebas de VIH e ITS disminuyeron significativamente durante el periodo de la pandemia.