HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use among PrEP-eligible men who have sex with men: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Scaling up pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is critical to combating the AIDS epidemic, especially among PrEP-eligible men who have sex with men (MSM). This study summarizes the global proportion of PrEP-eligible MSM with PrEP use and highlights the contextual differences in eligibility criteria for PrEP across studies.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in five databases in July 2023.

Routine treatment versus selective treatment for individuals reporting contact with sexual partners with chlamydia: A Before-and-After Study.

Background: Many international guidelines recommend routine treatment for individuals reporting sexual contact with sexual partners with chlamydia. In October-2019, the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre changed routine treatment of all chlamydia contacts to selective treatment, reserving same-day treatment for those testing positive, unless patients presented with symptoms or with specific reasons.

Methods: We conducted a before-and-after study among chlamydia contacts at MSHC by comparing 12 months before the 'routine treatment period' (December-2018 to October-2019) and after the 'selective treatment period' (November-2019 to December-2020).

Promoting Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis to Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who Have Sex with Men in the US Deep South: A Qualitative Exploration of Promotion Perceptions and Preferences.

Background: Effective HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) promotion is critical to mitigate PrEP disparities, yet there are gaps in understanding how gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) respond to and prefer PrEP promotion. The Deep South of the United States, a region with high HIV rates and low PrEP uptake, has unique contextual factors that stifle effective PrEP provision and uptake, which could be overcome with effective PrEP promotional messaging.

Methods: We conducted an exploratory qualitative study grounded in Andersen's Behavioral Model for Healthcare Utilization.

Planning for the virtual elimination of HIV in Australia: a Delphi consensus.

Australia has seen a steady decline in HIV notifications since 2013 and has one of the fastest declining rates of HIV transmission in the world. Australia is now in a globally unique position to plan for a near future of virtual elimination of HIV transmission. Through community involvement for every stage of this Delphi consensus process, we ensured the statements drafted reflect the needs of the community and highlight the gaps in the HIV response that will be essential to address if virtual elimination is to be achieved.

Stakeholder-informed refinement of a behavioral sleep/circadian intervention for gynecologic cancer survivors: an application of the MOST preparation phase.

Background: Sleep disturbance is among the most frequent and distressing symptoms reported by gynecologic cancer survivors. Existing evidence-based behavioral sleep interventions are limited by implementation burden, which can decrease adherence.

Purpose: As part of the preparation phase of the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST), this study solicited stakeholder feedback to maximize adherence in a planned behavioral sleep/circadian intervention optimization trial.

Pregnant women's choices for preventing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and can lead to severe respiratory distress, especially in very young infants. No specific treatments exist for RSV. However, new preventative strategies have become available including RSV vaccine for pregnant women and monoclonal antibody for infants.

Pay-it-forward strategy reduced HPV vaccine delay and increased uptake among catch-up age girls: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Catch-up HPV vaccination is challenging in many low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Pay-it-forward offers an individual a subsidized vaccine, then an opportunity to donate to help others access vaccinations. Our randomized control trial assessed the effectiveness of pay-it-forward in improving HPV vaccination among girls aged 15-18 years in China.

A global review of national guidelines of post-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV.

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of antiretroviral drugs as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for preventing HIV acquisition for occupational and non-occupational exposures. To inform the development of global WHO recommendations on PEP, we reviewed national guidelines of PEP for their recommendations.

Methods: Policies addressing PEP from 38 WHO HIV priority countries were obtained by searching governmental and non-governmental websites and consulting country and regional experts; these countries were selected based on HIV burden, new HIV acquisitions and the number of HIV-associated deaths.

Preference for HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Access Among Men who Have Sex With Men in China: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Background: HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective but not widely used by men who have sex with men (MSM; 27%) in China.

Methods: In June 2023, an online cross-sectional survey with a discrete choice experiment (DCE) was distributed to PrEP-eligible MSM in China who were at least 18 years old. The DCE explored attributes of PrEP modality (daily pill, on-demand pill, injections, implants), clinical care model (same-day, 2-visit, telehealth prescription), medication pickup (clinic, community health center, pharmacy, MSM-focused community-based organization, home delivery), enhanced support (self-management, smartphone app, text reminder, anonymous peer support group), and cost.

Prediction accuracy of discrete choice experiments in health-related research: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are increasingly used to inform the design of health products and services. It is essential to understand the extent to which DCEs provide reliable predictions outside of experimental settings in real-world decision-making situations. We aimed to compare the prediction accuracy of stated preferences with real-world choices, as modelled from DCE data.

Exploring artificial intelligence for differentiating early syphilis from other skin lesions: a pilot study.

Background: Early diagnosis of syphilis is vital for its effective control. This study aimed to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) diagnostic model based on radiomics technology to distinguish early syphilis from other clinical skin lesions.

Methods: The study collected 260 images of skin lesions caused by various skin infections, including 115 syphilis and 145 other infection types.

The Impact of Comorbid Sleep-Disordered Breathing on Hospitalization Risk Related to Diabetes and Atherosclerotic Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

To determine the relationship between comorbid sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and hospitalization rates related to diabetes mellitus (DM) and atherosclerotic disease (AD). This study used a retrospective cohort design from a large medical claims database with 5 years of data between 2018 and 2022. The presences of SDB, DM, and AD were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and relevant Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes.

Impact of achieving WHO's 90-70-90 targets on cervical cancer elimination and potential benefits in preventing other HPV-related cancers in China: a modelling study.

Background: In the context of the World Health Organization's (WHO) 90-70-90 targets for accelerating cervical cancer elimination, we aimed to assess the impact of achieving these targets and altering intervention factors on cervical cancer elimination in China and their potential benefits from preventing other human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers.

Methods: We developed a sexual contact network-Markov model to simulate HPV transmission and the progression of HPV-related cancers (cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers). We projected the population impact of achieving 90-70-90 targets by 2030 on the overall HPV-related cancer burden in China during 2024-2100.

Accuracy of symptom checker for the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections using machine learning and Bayesian network algorithms.

Background: A significant proportion of individuals with symptoms of sexually transmitted infection (STI) delay or avoid seeking healthcare, and digital diagnostic tools may prompt them to seek healthcare earlier. Unfortunately, none of the currently available tools fully mimic clinical assessment or cover a wide range of STIs.

Methods: We prospectively invited attendees presenting with STI-related symptoms at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre to answer gender-specific questionnaires covering the symptoms of 12 common STIs using a computer-assisted self-interviewing system between 2015 and 2018.

Comparing the impact of sexualised drug use with and without chemsex on sexual behaviours among men who have sex with men in China: a national multi-site cross-sectional study.

Background Sexualised drug use (SDU) is common in men who have sex with men (MSM). Chemsex, a form of psychoactive SDU, is a strong risk factor for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We investigated the associations of SDU and chemsex with the sexual behaviours in Chinese MSM.

Linkage to care and prevention after HIV self-testing: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Effective linkage to prevention and care is a crucial step following HIV testing services. This systematic review aimed to determine the proportion of individuals linked to prevention and care after HIV self-testing (HIVST) and describe factors associated with linkage.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search across eight databases (2010-October 2023) identified studies on linkage to care after HIVST, defined as receiving a confirmatory test or initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) if the self-test was reactive, and/or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) if the self-test was non-reactive.

Preferences for attributes of an artificial intelligence-based risk assessment tool for HIV and sexually transmitted infections: a discrete choice experiment.

Introduction: Early detection and treatment of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are crucial for effective control. We previously developed MySTIRisk, an artificial intelligence-based risk tool that predicts the risk of HIV and STIs. We examined the attributes that encourage potential users to use it.

Community-engaged strategies to improve sexual health services for adults aged 45 and above in the United Kingdom: a qualitative data analysis.

Background Sexual health is an essential component of health and well-being across the life course. However, sexual health research often focuses on young adults and excludes those aged 45years and older. We organized a national crowdsourcing open call and co-creation events to identify recommendations to improve sexual health service provision for middle-aged and older adults in the United Kingdom (UK).

Duration of kissing in different intimate positions among men who have sex with men: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Despite mounting evidence showing that kissing (tongue-kissing) may transmit gonorrhoea between men who have sex with men (MSM), little data exists on factors influencing the duration of kissing while they are above and/or lying underneath a partner for this population group.

Methods: Between May 2019 and March 2020, we invited MSM aged ≥18 years who attended the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) to participate in a survey about the duration of their kissing (minutes) and intimate position while kissing (i.e.

Prescribing pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention: a cross-sectional survey of general practitioners in Australia.

Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a safe and effective medication for preventing HIV acquisition. We examined Australian general practitioners' (GP) knowledge of PrEP efficacy, characteristics associated with ever prescribing PrEP and barriers to prescribing. Methods We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of GPs working in Australia between April and October 2022.

Telehealth for HIV care and management among people living with HIV in Australia: results from an online survey.

Background The aims of this study were to evaluate the experiences of telehealth for routine HIV care and identify preferred models of HIV routine care for the future. Methods Anonymous, online questionnaire among people living with HIV aged 18years or older. This survey was advertised via posters with a QR code in six sexual health clinics and one community organisation as well as on social media from November 2021 to December 2022.

What Do People Want from an AI-Assisted Screening App for Sexually Transmitted Infection-Related Anogenital Lesions: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Background: One of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to achieve its global targets for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is the increased use of digital technologies. Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) has developed an AI-assisted screening application (app) called AiSTi for the detection of common STI-related anogenital skin conditions. This study aims to understand the community's preference for using the AiSTi app.

Using PROMIS Methodology to Create Self-Report Measures of Mindfulness and Related Concepts.

Background: Mindfulness meditation is ubiquitous in health care, education, and communities at large. Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) are the focus of hundreds of NIH-funded trials given the myriad health benefits associated with this practice across multiple populations. Notwithstanding, significant gaps exist in how mindfulness concepts are measured using currently available self-report instruments.

Awareness of, willingness to use, and experiences with Pre-exposure prophylaxis among youth in Nigeria.

Background: Youth (ages 14-24) in Nigeria have disproportionately high rates of new HIV infection. Pre-exposure prophylaxis could substantially reduce new infections among youth but has not been scaled up. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, willingness to use, and prior use of Pre-exposure prophylaxis among youth in Nigeria.