Impact of COVID-19 on Sexually Transmitted Infection and HIV Screening at an Urban Safety-Net Hospital.
AIDS Patient Care STDS
; 37(4): 199-204, 2023 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2268516
ABSTRACT
HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise nationally and internationally. The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic drove a shift toward telemedicine and prioritization of symptomatic treatment over asymptomatic screening. The impact in safety-net settings, which faced disproportionate baseline STI/HIV rates rooted in structural inequities, and where many patients lack telemedicine resources, is not yet known. This study describes the impact of COVID-19 on STI/HIV testing at an urban safety-net hospital. We used descriptive statistics to compare hospital-wide chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV testing volume and positivity rates in the following periods prepandemic (July 1, 2019-February 29, 2020), peak-pandemic (March 1, 2020-May 31, 2020), and postpeak (June 1, 2020-August 31, 2021). STI and HIV test volume dropped sharply in March 2020. STI testing during the peak-pandemic period was 42% of prepandemic baseline (mean 1145 vs. 2738 tests/month) and nadired in April 2020 (766 tests/month). Similarly, peak-pandemic HIV testing was 43% of prepandemic baseline (mean 711 vs. 1635 tests/month) and nadired in April 2020 with 438 tests/month, concentrated in emergency department and inpatient settings. STI and HIV testing rates did not return to baseline for a full year. STI and HIV test positivity rates were higher in the peak-pandemic period compared with the prepandemic baseline. Given the precipitous decline in STI and HIV testing during the pandemic, safety-net settings should develop low-barrier alternatives to traditional office-based testing to mitigate testing gaps, high positivity rates, and associated morbidity.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Chlamydia Infections
/
Gonorrhea
/
Syphilis
/
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
/
HIV Infections
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
AIDS Patient Care STDS
Journal subject:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
/
SINDROME DA IMUNODEFICIENCIA ADQUIRIDA (AIDS)
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Apc.2022.0220
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