National STI Awareness Week

February 8, 2024

Healthcare Professionals,

This week highlights the importance of empowering patients to manage their sexual health through awareness, communication, and care. It's crucial for healthcare providers to revisit strategies on how to best support your patients during this National STI Awareness Week and beyond.

Awareness Campgns

Ensure that patients are informed about various ways they can access critical STI services:

1. Express Visits: These allow walk-in STI testing and treatment appointments without requiring a full clinical examination.

2. Pharmacy and Retl Health Clinic Partnerships: Offer new access points for STI services, such as on-site testing and treatment options.

3. TelehealthTelemedicine: Bridge gaps in STI testing and treatment by ensuring accessible healthcare providers to patients remotely or when physical visits are not feasible. This is particularly important in rural areas.

4. At-Home Test Kits: Provide an option for patients to collect their own samples, including FDA-approved HIV self-tests, which can be especially useful where in-person services are limited.

Open Discussions

Incorporate these key tips into your interactions with patients:

1. Building Trust: Establish a welcoming and inclusive environment by providing teen-frily resources.

2. Privacy Assurance: Ensure patient confidentiality is mntned throughout the conversation process.

3. Normalizing Sexual Health: Communicate that sexual health questions are standard for overall health, encouraging patients to expect these conversations during visits.

4. Avoiding Assumptions: Use open-ed questions and rephrase sensitive inquiries when needed, especially if you encounter hesitancy from your patient.

Counseling on Prevention

Educate patients about the various prevention options avlable:

1. Safer Sex Practices: Encourage the use of condoms and other methods to reduce STI risk.

2. Modern HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis PrEP: Offer guidance on dly medication for those at high risk.

Managing Anxiety and Fear

Address fears or anxiety that may accompany STI diagnoses:

1. Counseling Messages: Utilize CDC counseling messages from the 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines to help alleviate patient concerns.

Screening Recommations

Adapt screening recommations based on your patients' needs:

1. HIV Testing: All adults and adolescents aged 13-64 should be screened at least once.

2. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia: For women under 25, annual testing is recommed; for those older than 25 with risk factors, screening every year is advised.

3. Syphilis Testing: All pregnant individuals should undergo syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C tests early in pregnancy. Repeat testing may be necessary based on the patient's circumstances.

Treatment Guidelines

Follow CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines for appropriate care:

1. Expedited Partner Therapy EPT: Consider this option when a patient's partner is unable or unwilling to seek treatment.

2. Follow-up Testing: Advise patients to return for follow-up testing in three months due to common reinfection risks.

Resistant Gonorrhea

Urgent Attention Required - The immediate threat of drug-resistant gonorrhea necessitates swift and robust action:

1. Treatment Guidelines: Only administer the recommed treatment ceftriaxone 500mg intramuscularly in a single dose to preserve our last effective option.

Action Plan

Awareness

• Spread information about accessible testing options.

• Emphasize open discussions on sexual health.

Communication

• Normalize STI screenings and discussions.

Prevention Guidance

• Promote safe sex practices and modern HIV prevention methods.

• Inform patients about counseling support for anxiety or fear.

Care

• Ensure proper management of STIs through the CDC guidelines, including addressing fears and concerns.

Actionable Steps

1. Implement various testing options deping on community needs.

2. Educate staff on the importance of confidentiality and sensitivity in discussions.

3. Advocate for patient follow-ups through clear communication about screening schedules.

Closing

Let's work together to create a safer, healthier environment by enhancing awareness, improving communication, and ensuring proper care during this National STI Awareness Week.

About CDC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC supports public health initiatives worldwide. Our team is committed to providing accurate data, guidelines, and resources related to sexually transmitted infections and other public health issues. For more information or assistance:

• Eml Updates: Subscribe to receive updates on latest guidelines, campgns, and resources.

• Contact Us: Reach out for specific inquiries about healthcare practices, patient care guidance, or community engagement strategies.

Let's continue our collective effort in advocating for better sexual health awareness and management within our communities.
This article is reproduced from: https://www.cdc.gov/sti-awareness/talktesttreat/providers.html

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