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STI testing in routine health assessments

This research and evaluation program aims to optimise routine health assessments to improve testing for sexually transmitted infections among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.

Systems change components

Systems change collaboratively designed with staff of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, centring local context and knowledge.

A diagram illustrating the components of the systems change implemented in the pilot

Timeline

2019

Program initiated as part of the NSW syphilis response.

Systems change collaboratively designed with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service.

2020

Site visits suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Evaluation of systems change commenced.

2021

Strengths-based qualitative analysis of interviews with staff of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and Local Health Districts completed. The analysis examined factors that enable integration of STI testing in routine care.

2022

Qualitative analysis published.

Statistical analysis of health assessment data from national network of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services completed. The analysis assessed integration and correlates of integration of STI testing into MBS 715 health assessments.

Scale up of program to additional sites planned.

2023

Statistical analysis of health assessment data from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services published.

Mixed-methods evaluation of systems change to increase STI testing within routine health assessments completed and published.

Scale up commenced.

Site visits resumed.

2024

Scale up to further sites continued.

Reflexive case study on research methods published.

Statistical analysis of health assessment data from general practice to be completed. This analysis examines integration and correlates of integration of STI testing into MBS 715 health assessments in the mainstream general practice setting.

Qualitative analysis of co-creation process to be completed. This analysis uses a critical realist framework to explore facilitators of successful co-creation in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service setting.

Publications from this program

1 / 

McCormack, H., Guy, R., Bourne, C. and Newman, C.E., 2022. Integrating testing for sexually transmissible infections into routine primary care for Aboriginal young people: a strengths‐based qualitative analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 46(3), pp.370-376.

2 / 

McCormack, H., Wand, H., Bourne, C., Ward, J., Bradley, C., Mak, D. and Guy, R., 2023. Integrating testing for sexually transmissible infections into annual health assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people: a cross-sectional analysis. Sexual Health

3 / 

McCormack, H., Wand, H., Newman, C. E., Bourne, C., Kennedy, C. and Guy, R., 2023. Exploring whether the electronic optimisation of routine health assessments can increase testing for sexually transmitted infections and provider acceptability at an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service: Mixed Methods Evaluation. JMIR Medical Informatics, 11 

4 / 

McCormack, H., Newman, C. E.,  2024. Collaborative, mixed-methods, strengths-based approaches to evaluating systems change in an indigenous primary care service. In SAGE Research Methods Cases, Part 1, SAGE Publications Ltd

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