This rapid review was commissioned by the Centre for Population Health, New South Wales (NSW) Ministry of Health and the Sax Institute to inform the development of the NSW Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2016 – 2020. The focus of this review is on the effectiveness of interventions aiming to reduce the transmission of Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs) in different settings.
Consistent with the developing NSW STI strategy, this review focuses on interventions in relation to testing, treatment, partner notification and prevention of re-infection of three priority STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis), in five priority settings (primary health care; sexual health services; Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services; antenatal services; and services for young people) for five priority populations (gay and other men who have sex with men (MSM); gay men living with HIV; young people aged 16 – 29 years; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people involved in sex work).
The review was also tasked with identifying evidence for the effectiveness of interventions in additional settings (including but not limited to drug and alcohol services, emergency departments, mental health services and correctional services).
Key findings
The overall purpose of the evidence check is to contribute to the development of an NSW STI strategy 2016 – 2020. The primary audience of the report is the NSW STI Strategy Working Group.
The evidence check was tasked with answering three research questions:
- What is the evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions conducted in priority settings with the ultimate aim of reducing transmission of priority STIs in priority populations?
- What is the evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions conducted in additional settings to reduce transmission of priority STIs in priority populations?
- What is the evidence regarding the effectiveness of missed opportunities interventions to reduce the transmission of priority STIs in priority populations?
