CASE SCENARIO: MANAGEMENT OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS IN PRIMARY CARE BASED ON THE FIFTH EDITION OF THE MALAYSIAN GUIDELINES Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have a profound effect on sexual and reproductive health, with an estimated 374 million new infections reported globally in 2020. Most STI cases are likely to be presented at primary care clinics, making it crucial for primary care doctors to possess a strong understanding of STIs. Effective management of these infections relies on timely and accurate diagnosis, evidence-based treatment and comprehensive prevention strategies. The Malaysian Guidelines for the Management of Sexually Transmitted Infections Fifth Edition 2024 highlight the importance of treatment, prevention strategies and diagnostic recommendations, underscoring the role of primary care in addressing STIs effectively.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the views and practices of healthcare providers and barriers they encountered when implementing the national health screening program for men in a public primary care setting in Malaysia. Methods: An online survey was conducted among healthcare providers across public health clinics in Malaysia. All family medicine specialists, medical officers, nurses and assistant medical officers involved in the screening program for adult men were invited to answer a 51-item questionnaire via email or WhatsApp. The questionnaire comprised five sections: participants’ socio-demographic information, current screening practices, barriers and facilitators to using the screening tool, and views on the content and format of the screening tool. Results: A total of 231 healthcare providers from 129 health clinics participated in this survey. Among them, 37.44% perceived the implementation of the screening program as a “top-down decision.” Although 37.44% found the screening tool for adult men “useful,” some felt that it was “time consuming” to fill out (38.2%) and “lengthy” (28.3%). In addition, ‘adult men refuse to answer’ (24.1%) was cited as the most common patient-related barrier. Conclusions: This study provided useful insights into the challenges encountered by the public healthcare providers when implementing a national screening program for men. The screening tool for adult men should be revised to make it more user-friendly. Further studies should explore the reasons why men were reluctant to participate in health screenings, thus enhancing the implementation of screening programs in primary care.