2021 NATIONAL SEXUAL HEALTH CONFERENCE
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The following abstract posters were submitted, reviewed, and accepted for the 2021 National Sexual Health Conference.

Please take the time to review these virtual posters, to follow up with the authors with any comments and questions, and to congratulate them on their work.




Sex Ed in a Time of COVID
Monica Davis - University of Arizona - SIROW


Remote learning was an option for folks prior to COVID. However, many programs like our sexuality education in a behavioral health setting, provided in-person education. Yet when national mandates shut down in-person operations in March 2020, we were all hurled into online learning. Our behavioral health agency had significant patient privacy and safety concerns. This poster will present the steps taken, tools utilized, and strategies implemented to navigate a behavioral health agency's considerations and transition a comprehensive sexuality education program from in-person to online



Examining the Perspectives of Teen and Adult Stakeholders about PrEP Social Marketing Campaigns
Christopher Owens, PhD, MPH - Northwestern University - Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing


Teen-focused digital social marketing campaigns have the opportunity to be both culturally competent and reach a large mass of LGBTQ+ adolescents without relying on intermediaries (e.g., parents, providers), especially when reaching LGBTQ+ adolescents is more difficult during a pandemic. Thus, the design and logistics of a teen-focused PrEP social marketing campaign remains elusive. This poster will present findings from online focus groups and Zoom interviews about LGBTQ+ teens' and health professionals' perspectives on digital PrEP social marketing campaigns.



The Effect of COVID-19 on Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Lauren Speakman - University of Illinois at Chicago


With the COVID-19 pandemic many appointments were cancelled, postponed, or conducted virtually, thus, fewer in-person clinic visits during the pandemic likely resulted in gaps in care. The primary study objective was to determine the frequency of STI testing in persons with HIV prior to COVID-19, peri-COVID during strict shelter-in-place orders, and peri-COVID during the reopening in Chicago. This study was needed because of a lack of quantifiable and tangible evidence regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected STI outreach in the HIV population at an academic medical center in Chicago.



US Abortion Support Worker Perspectives on the Safe Abortion Mobile Application
Dani Behonick, PhD, MPH - Hesperian Health Guides


Abortion support workers provide non-medical support to people who seek abortions. We sought to understand this work which is less well characterized in the US than in other countries, along with the informational needs and habits of US abortion support workers. We also wanted to determine how the Safe Abortion (SA) mobile application, which provides free, comprehensive, and practical abortion information can support this vital work.



Associations Between School Health Programs and Adolescent Sexual Behaviors and Use of Sexual Health Services-


To present empirical findings on associations in exposure to school health program components, measured as staff or guide-based referrals, using school-based health centers (SBHC), and education on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) skills, on health service usage and sexual behaviors among a sample of US high school students using data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.



Language Deprivation Impact on Deaf Women's Access to Reproductive Health
Rachel Doane - National Technical Institute for the Deaf


Reproductive health is one of the most critical aspects of a woman's life and deaf women have a more difficult time getting access to things they need, like abortions. Language deprivation exacerbates these difficulties. There is a large communication barrier between deaf and hearing individuals which is complicated by the language deprivation many deaf women have experienced early in their lives. Here, we are interested in the relationship between deaf women's language experiences and the impact it may have on their access to reproductive health information.



Is It Possible to Have Safer Sex to Avoid COVID-19?
Maureen Scahill, NP, MS - University of Rochester Center for Community Practice


Research yielded a plethora of data and recommendations related to ways to avoid and/or mitigate transmission of the SARS Cov-2. These were focused on routine daily activities, excluding sex. The NYCDOHMH and NASTAD both provided consumer fact sheets; the Health Director of Canada released recommendations and only one journal paper was found. Based on these recommendations, and the science of infection, transmission, and understanding of common sexual activities (e.g., sexual positioning and oro-genital/anal practices), a slide presentation and a pamphlet were produced to deliver to consumers.



Appropriateness of Chlamydia trachomatis Screening in Pregnant Patients in the Emergency Department: A Pilot


Untreated Chlamydia trachomatis in pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Many pregnant patients lack access to prenatal care and turn to the Emergency Department (ED) for their concerns. Currently, there are no formal clinical guidelines regarding when pregnant patients should be screened for Chlamydia in the ED. In this pilot study, we evaluated if ED providers are appropriately screening patients with positive pregnancy tests for Chlamydia.



Changes in Sexual Behavior Before and After COVID-19 Vaccine Availability
Jared Kerman - Chicago Center for HIV Elimination


This presentation identifies differences in sex behaviors COVID-19 over two periods: the pre-vaccination period (PVP) and the available vaccine period (AVP). Data are from the ongoing Prevent Anal Cancer (PAC) Study, which aims to determine the accuracy of self‐ and partner-administered anal exams for detecting anal abnormalities among cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender and gender non-binary people who have sex with men (TSM) in Chicago.



Automated Risk Assessment Improves Detection of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea for At-Risk Patients
Kelly Chapman, MPH, PhD - Florida Department of Health in Alachua County


Patients seeking routine care at a Ryan White-funded HIV clinic were screened for symptoms and risk factors associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) since their last routine care visit. The risk assessment, conducted with Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) software, aimed to reduce stigma by providing privacy for patients disclosing sensitive information about sexual behavior. Implementation of the risk assessment improved detection of extragenital STIs with minimal impact on clinic routine and provided additional education opportunities.



Using Podcasts to Respond to Rapidly Changing COVID-19 Guidance


The NCTCFP has produced podcasts as part of their online educational products for several years, called the Family Planning Files, but in response to the spread COVID-19, the Center developed a special series to disseminate guidance specific to family planning clinicians throughout the US. The purpose of featuring the podcast as a modality for disseminating clinical knowledge is to demonstrate novel responses to health emergencies and the need for the rapid deployment of guidance for clinicians that is easily accessible from most any location.



Deaf Women's Contraceptive Practices
Daphine Postl - National Technical Institute for the Deaf


The Deaf community is known to experience more health concerns compared to those who are hearing, including barriers to accessing and learning about health information, particularly about reproductive health. These barriers lead us to the shocking statistic that Deaf women are 67% more likely to experience unplanned pregnancy compared to hearing women. The study's primary aim is to compare deaf and hearing populations and their use of contraceptives.


 

 

 





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