INTRODUCTION: Although pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been available in Singapore since 2016, its uptake among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM) is low. The iPARTY study was established to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of PrEP and a PrEP teleconsultation service for young GBMSM aged 18 to 29 years. METHOD: A total of 53 young GBMSM were enrolled in the iPARTY study. They had a total of 5 in-person consultations and teleconsultations, at 12-week intervals. Laboratory tests and quarterly baseline surveys were performed to assess PrEP adherence, sexual behaviour, and incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). RESULTS: Thirty-five participants completed the entire 12-month follow-up. Most participants had positive experiences with PrEP teleconsultations. There was a statistically significant fall in participants' aggregate Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores throughout the study. Self-reported PrEP adherence decreased over the course of the study, denoting improved mental health. Although self-reported condom use for anal intercourse and participants' risk perception of HIV decreased after PrEP adoption, there was no statisti-cally significant increase in STI incidence. CONCLUSION This pilot project has shown that PrEP services provide an opportunity for YMSM to access sexual health testing, treatment and counselling, and may even have tangible benefits on the mental health of this population. Teleconsultation is shown to be a suitable platform for the delivery of such services. Collaborative initiatives are crucial to further enhance the affordability and accessibility of PrEP in Singapore, and to improve patient adherence.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult ; Anti-HIV Agents/administration & dosage* ; Feasibility Studies ; Health Risk Behaviors ; HIV Infections/psychology* ; Incidence ; Medication Adherence ; Mental Health/statistics & numerical data* ; Pilot Projects ; Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis/statistics & numerical data* ; Sexual and Gender Minorities/statistics & numerical data* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control* ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Telemedicine/statistics & numerical data* ; Homosexuality, Male/statistics & numerical data*

INTRODUCTION: Paediatric sexual assault (SA) victims should be assessed for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to mitigate the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We describe the clinical characteristics of children and young persons (CYPs) presenting with SA at KK Women's and Children's Hospital in Singapore, viral PEP (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] and hepatitis B virus [HBV]) prescribing practices, and STI evaluation at follow-up. METHOD: Medical records of CYPs ≤16 years who presented with SA between January 2022 and August 2023 were reviewed, including assault and assailant characteristics, baseline and follow-up STI screening, PEP prescription, adherence and follow-up attendance. CYPs with SA in the preceding 72 hours by HIV-positive or HIV-status unknown assailants with high-risk characteris-tics were eligible for HIV PEP. RESULTS: We analysed 278 CYPs who made 292 SA visits. There were 40 (13.7%) CYPs eligible for HIV PEP, of whom 29 (82.9%) received it. Among those tested at baseline, 9% and 34.9% of CYPs tested positive for Chlamydia trachomatis and Gardnerella vaginalis, respectively. None tested positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, HIV, HBV or hepatitis C. Majority of CYPs tested were HBV non-immune (n=167, 67.6%); only 77 (46.1%) received the vaccine. Out of 27 CYPs eligible for HBV PEP with immunoglobulin, only 21 (77.7%) received immunoglobulin. A total of 37 CYPs received HIV PEP, including 8 who were retrospectively deemed ineligible. Only 10 (27%) completed the course. Overall, 153 (57.7%) CYPs attended follow-up, and none seroconverted for HIV or HBV. CONCLUSION We report suboptimal rates of HBV post-exposure vaccination, and low compliance to HIV PEP and follow-up among paediatric SA victims. Factors contri-buting to poor compliance should be examined to optimise care for this vulnerable population.
Humans ; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis/methods* ; Female ; Child ; Adolescent ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; HIV Infections/prevention & control* ; Male ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Hepatitis B/prevention & control* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Sex Offenses/statistics & numerical data* ; Child Abuse, Sexual

Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the trend of syphilis and gonorrhea incidence rate among 10-19 year old adolescents in Liaoning Province from 2006 to 2020. The syphilis and gonorrhea data in Liaoning Province were reported in the infectious disease monitoring system of China's disease prevention and control information system. From 2006 to 2020, a total of 7 721 cases of syphilis in 10-19 year old adolescents were reported in Liaoning Province, with an incidence rate about 0.90/100 000-22.13/100 000. The incidence rate of syphilis in women was higher than that in men. Adolescents infected with stage Ⅰ and stageⅡ syphilis accounted for 72.6%. There were 2 726 patients with gonorrhea, with an incidence rate about 1.29/100 000-10.74/100 000. The incidence rate of gonorrhea in men was higher than that in women. Joinpoint regression model analysis showed that the incidence of syphilis generally took 2012 as the inflection point. From 2006 to 2012, the average annual growth rate of syphilis incidence rate among adolescents was 67.30% (P<0.001). The average annual growth rate of syphilis incidence rate in adolescents from 2012 to 2020 was -0.02% (P=0.994).The overall incidence of gonorrhea incidence rate took 2015 as the inflection point. From 2006 to 2015, the average annual growth rate of juvenile gonorrhea incidence rate was 23.95% (P<0.001). The average annual growth rate of gonorrhea incidence rate in adolescents from 2015 to 2020 was 4.06% (P=0.492). Overall, from 2006 to 2020, the incidence rate of syphilis and gonorrhea among 10-19 year old adolescents in Liaoning Province increased slowly. The primary and secondary prevention strategies were significantly effective in reducing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Gonorrhea/prevention & control* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Regression Analysis ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology* ; Syphilis/epidemiology* ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Men diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are at greater risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and STIs reinfection. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a brief human immunodeficiency virus (B-HIV) prevention program on HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) knowledge, perceived benefits of condom use, risk reduction self-efficacy, risk reduction behaviors, and reinfection rate among Thai men with STIs. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was conducted. Participants were selected from men with STI symptoms. They were randomly assigned to a B-HIV prevention program or usual care, 100 each. The program consisted of 3 modules. Key messages for HIV prevention were sent weekly through Line. Outcomes were HIV and STI knowledge, perceived benefits of condom use, risk reduction self-efficacy, risk reduction behaviors (condom use, the number of sexual partners, and condomless sex), and STI reinfection rate. Independent t-test and binary logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: The B-HIV prevention program significantly increased HIV and STI knowledge and resulted in perception of greater benefits from condoms and greater risk reduction self-efficacy. Program participants used condoms more frequently with many types of partners, especially with casual partners and sex workers. The intervention group practiced condomless sex less frequently than the control group. The program did not improve participants' condom use with lovers/steady partners and did not decrease the number of sexual partners and STI reinfection rate at 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: A B-HIV prevention program could reduce the risk of HIV infection among male clients with current STIs by enhancing their condom use with casual partners and sex workers. Strategies to improve condom use with lovers/steady partners among this high-risk population is needed.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Condoms ; Follow-Up Studies ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Primary Prevention ; Risk Reduction Behavior* ; Sex Workers ; Sexual Partners ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases*

Objective: To investigate the changes of proportion on both consistent condom use and syphilis infection among low-fee female sex workers aged 35 and above (LFSW), in order to provide evidence for targeted intervention strategies. Methods: A total of six cities-Liuzhou city and Pingnan couty of Guigang city of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jinghong city of Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture and Dali city of Dali Bai autonomous prefecture of Yunnan province, Zhangjiajie city and Jianghua Yao autonomous county of Yongzhou city Hunan province were involved in this study, with 60 eligible participants needed in each city, estimated through a pre-study. The first cross-sectional survey was completed from October 2012 to January 2013. Face-to-face questionnaire interview was carried out to collect information on socio-demography, work-related information and condom use situation. Blood was collected for syphilis testing. The second cross-sectional survey was carried out from June to September, 2015 under the same procedure. Results: A total of 371 and 403 eligible participants were included in the first and second survey, respectively. When comparing the two surveys, we noticed that the average age showed a slight change, from 42.4 years to 43.8 years old (t=3.537, P<0.001) and the average price for every commercial sex exchange increased from 36.8 RMB to 49.5 RMB (t=11.961, P<0.001). In the first survey, 46.9% (174/371) of the participants had more than two years of experience working as LFSW, compared to 61.3% (247/403) in the second survey (χ(2)=16.125, P<0.001). Also, 46.9% (174/371) of the participants consistently used condoms with clients in the past month in the first survey versus 64.3% (259/403) (χ(2)=23.641, P<0.001) in the second one. Rates of syphilis infection were found from 15.9% (59/371) in the first survey reduced to 7.2% (29/403) in the second survey (χ(2)=14.533, P<0.001). Conclusion: Compared with the first survey, the proportion of consistent condoms use showed an increase. Although the proportion of syphilis infection decreased in the second survey, the scope did not meet the criteria on syphilis, set by the government. Targeted intervention strategies on condom promotion and syphilis control should be implemented consistently in this population.
Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Condoms/trends* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Safe Sex ; Sex Work ; Sex Workers ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syphilis/prevention & control* ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the worldwide sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and the DNA of HPV can exist in the normal epithelium of reproductive organs of both men and women. Because the majority of HPV infections are asymptomatic, healthy HPV-carriers become the main source of the infection. Studies show that HPV infection in men is correlated with STD, infertility, tumor of reproductive organs, and infection in the sexual partners. Therefore, measures should be taken to reduce male HPV infection, including circumcision, fewer sexual partners, and condom use.
Adult ; Asymptomatic Infections ; Carrier State ; virology ; Circumcision, Male ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; virology ; Male ; Papillomaviridae ; Papillomavirus Infections ; complications ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Reproductive Health ; Risk Factors ; Sexual Partners ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; virology

Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Communication ; Dengue ; prevention & control ; Dengue Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; HIV Infections ; prevention & control ; Health Education ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Mosquito Control ; Obesity ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Public Health ; Public Health Practice ; Risk ; Risk Reduction Behavior ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; prevention & control ; Singapore ; Tobacco Use ; prevention & control ; therapy

Increasingly accumulated results from randomized controlled trials and other clinical studies have demonstrated that male circumcision reduces the risks of acquisition and transmission of HIV, HPV, HSV-2, and other sexually transmitted infections, and thus has a potential role in preventing cervical cancer, penile cancer and prostate cancer. The prevalence of male circumcision in China is currently less than 5%. The clinical evaluation studies and randomized controlled trials of the Shang Ring device showed excellent safety profiles, extremely high acceptability, and satisfaction among the participants and service providers in Africa and China. Given the recent recommendations by the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), voluntary medical male circumcision should be promoted in China at the national level as an important alternative intervention to reduce reproductive tract infections and prevent both males and females from reproductive tract cancers. More emphasis is required on the studies of the long-term health benefits of male circumcision in uro-andrology.
China ; Circumcision, Male ; Female ; HIV Infections ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Male ; Penile Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; Prevalence ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; prevention & control ; Urinary Tract Infections ; prevention & control ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; World Health Organization

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the factors associated with HPV (Human Papillomavirus) related stigma, shame and intent to have HPV test among adult women. METHODS: Data were collected from December 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010, and participants were 324 women who visited an obstetric gynecologic clinic. They anticipated testing positive for HPV. Then HPV related stigma, shame, intent to have HPV testing and HPV knowledge were measured. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test and multivariate adjusted logistic regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The levels of stigma and shame were higher than average. Intent to have HPV test was high and HPV knowledge was low. Women who answered that HPV is not sexually transmitted had lower HPV stigma than did women who answered they didn't know (OR=0.20, 95%CI 0.06-0.68). Women with lower stigma showed lower intent to have HPV test than women with higher stigma (OR=0.46, 95%CI 0.26-0.82). CONCLUSION: Basic HPV information should be fully understood for women especially prior to HPV test. Normalizing HPV stigma is necessary for women who perceive HPV as sexually transmitted and women intending to have HPV test.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Papillomaviridae/*isolation & purification ; Papillomavirus Infections/prevention & control/*psychology/virology ; Questionnaires ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral/prevention & control/psychology ; *Shame ; *Social Stigma ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; China ; Female ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Referral and Consultation ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; prevention & control ; Single Person ; Young Adult