P G Patel1, P Keen1, H McManus1, T Duck2, D Callander1,3, C Selvey4, C Power2, R T Gray1, V Knight1,5, J Asselin6, P Read7, K Johnson8, B R Bavinton1, V J Bowden4, A E Grulich1, R Guy1. 1. The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. 2. New South Wales Ministry of Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. 3. New York University Spatial Epidemiology Lab, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA. 4. Health Protection NSW, Sydney, Australia. 5. Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia. 6. Burnet Institute, Melbourne, NSW, Australia. 7. Kirketon Road Centre, Kings Cross, NSW, Australia. 8. ACON, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of government HIV strategies that aimed to increase HIV testing uptake and frequency among gay and bisexual men (GBM) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. DESIGN: We analysed HIV testing data from existing passive and sentinel surveillance systems between 2010 and 2018. METHODS: Six indicators were measured: (1) state-wide total HIV laboratory tests; (2) number of GBM attending publicly-funded clinics; (3) 12-monthly testing uptake; (4) annual testing frequency; (5) HIV testing with a STI diagnosis; and (6) HIV positivity. Mathematical modelling was used to estimate (7) the proportion of men with undiagnosed HIV. Indicators were stratified by Australian vs. overseas-born. RESULTS: Overall, 43,560 GBM attended participating clinics (22,662 Australian-born, 20,834 overseas-born) from 2010-2018. Attendees increased from 5,186 in 2010 to 16,507 in 2018. There were increasing trends (p<0.001 for all) in testing uptake (83.9% to 95.1%); testing with a STI diagnosis (68.7% to 94.0%); annual HIV testing frequency (1.4 to 2.7); and a decreasing trend (p<0.01) in HIV positivity (1.7% to 0.9%).Increases in testing were similar in Australian-born and overseas-born GBM. However, there were decreasing trends in the estimated undiagnosed HIV proportion overall (9.5% to 7.7%) and in Australian-born GBM (7.1% to 2.8%), but an increasing trend in overseas-born GBM (15.3% to 16.9%) (p<0.001 for all).
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of government HIV strategies that aimed to increase HIV testing uptake and frequency among gay and bisexual men (GBM) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. DESIGN: We analysed HIV testing data from existing passive and sentinel surveillance systems between 2010 and 2018. METHODS: Six indicators were measured: (1) state-wide total HIV laboratory tests; (2) number of GBM attending publicly-funded clinics; (3) 12-monthly testing uptake; (4) annual testing frequency; (5) HIV testing with a STI diagnosis; and (6) HIV positivity. Mathematical modelling was used to estimate (7) the proportion of men with undiagnosed HIV. Indicators were stratified by Australian vs. overseas-born. RESULTS: Overall, 43,560 GBM attended participating clinics (22,662 Australian-born, 20,834 overseas-born) from 2010-2018. Attendees increased from 5,186 in 2010 to 16,507 in 2018. There were increasing trends (p<0.001 for all) in testing uptake (83.9% to 95.1%); testing with a STI diagnosis (68.7% to 94.0%); annual HIV testing frequency (1.4 to 2.7); and a decreasing trend (p<0.01) in HIV positivity (1.7% to 0.9%).Increases in testing were similar in Australian-born and overseas-born GBM. However, there were decreasing trends in the estimated undiagnosed HIV proportion overall (9.5% to 7.7%) and in Australian-born GBM (7.1% to 2.8%), but an increasing trend in overseas-born GBM (15.3% to 16.9%) (p<0.001 for all).
Authors: Ye Zhang; Virginia Wiseman; Tanya L Applegate; Richard De Abreu Lourenco; Deborah J Street; Kirsty Smith; Muhammad S Jamil; Fern Terris-Prestholt; Christopher K Fairley; Anna McNulty; Adam Hynes; Karl Johnson; Eric P F Chow; Benjamin R Bavinton; Andrew Grulich; Mark Stoove; Martin Holt; John Kaldor; Rebecca Guy; Jason J Ong Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2022-04-19
Authors: Dana Yl Lee; Jason J Ong; Kirsty Smith; Muhammad S Jamil; Ruthy McIver; Rebecca Wigan; Kate Maddaford; Anna McNulty; John M Kaldor; Christopher K Fairley; Benjamin Bavinton; Marcus Chen; Eric Pf Chow; Andrew E Grulich; Martin Holt; Damian P Conway; Mark Stoove; Handan Wand; Rebecca J Guy Journal: Med J Aust Date: 2022-07-12 Impact factor: 12.776