The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on STI and HIV Services in the Netherlands According to Health Care Professionals.

Annemarie Reilingh; Jenneke van Ditzhuijzen; Thijs Albers; Hanna Bos; John de Wit

doi:10.3390/ijerph21060678

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on STI and HIV Services in the Netherlands According to Health Care Professionals.

Annemarie Reilingh^*, Jenneke van Ditzhuijzen, Thijs Albers, Hanna Bos, John de Wit

^*Corresponding author for this work

Soa Aids Nederland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Surveillance data from the Netherlands show that STI/HIV testing decreased at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting barriers to access to STI/HIV care. However, the impact of the pandemic on STI/HIV care may be more complex, and key populations could be differentially affected. The aim of this study was to gain more insight into the impact of COVID-19 on STI/HIV care in the Netherlands from the perspective of STI/HIV care providers. We investigated whether professionals in STI/HIV care experienced changes compared to pre-COVID in access to STI/HIV care for priority populations, demand and provision of STI/HIV care, shifts to online STI/HIV counseling and care, and the quality assurance of STI/HIV care. An online survey was completed by 192 STI/HIV care professionals. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were held with 23 STI/HIV care professionals. According to participants, people in vulnerable circumstances, such as recent migrants and people with low health or digital literacy, may have had difficulties accessing STI/HIV care during the pandemic, especially during lockdowns and at public sexual health services. Hence, these may not have received the care they needed. Participants thought that COVID-19 measures may have compounded existing disparities. Furthermore, participants found that online care provision was not up to standard and were concerned about follow-up care for patients using private online providers of remote tests. It is important to explore how STI/HIV care for people in vulnerable circumstances can be ensured in future public health crises.

Original language	English
Article number	678
Journal	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume	21
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21060678
Publication status	Published - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.

Funding

Between 20 October 2021 and 1 January 2022, we conducted an online survey with STI/HIV care professionals from GP practices, PSHS, and HIV clinics via a secure Qualtrics platform. We asked survey participants to rate various aspects of STI/HIV care during four COVID-19 periods in comparison to pre-COVID-19. The study also included semi-structured interviews with STI/HIV care professionals from GP practices, PSHS, and HIV clinics, but also from private testing providers to provide further rich information from a first-person perspective. Interviews were held between October 2021 and January 2022, live or via secure video conferencing platforms (Teams or Zoom), and lasted about 35\u201345 min. All participants provided full informed consent before any data were collected and were advised that they could stop participation at any time. The research team was supported by an advisory committee consisting of experts in STI/HIV care from PSHS, a GP practice, Soa Aids Nederland, and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). The survey questionnaire and interview topic list were developed in collaboration with the advisory committee. The study protocol received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Utrecht University (file number 21/0268). The study was commissioned by Soa Aids Nederland with funding from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

Funders	Funder number
RIVM
Soa Aids Nederland
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu
Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

Keywords

COVID-19
STI/HIV care
access to healthcare
healthcare professionals
public health service
sexual health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3390/ijerph21060678Licence: CC BY

ijerph-21-00678Final published version, 549 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "Surveillance data from the Netherlands show that STI/HIV testing decreased at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting barriers to access to STI/HIV care. However, the impact of the pandemic on STI/HIV care may be more complex, and key populations could be differentially affected. The aim of this study was to gain more insight into the impact of COVID-19 on STI/HIV care in the Netherlands from the perspective of STI/HIV care providers. We investigated whether professionals in STI/HIV care experienced changes compared to pre-COVID in access to STI/HIV care for priority populations, demand and provision of STI/HIV care, shifts to online STI/HIV counseling and care, and the quality assurance of STI/HIV care. An online survey was completed by 192 STI/HIV care professionals. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were held with 23 STI/HIV care professionals. According to participants, people in vulnerable circumstances, such as recent migrants and people with low health or digital literacy, may have had difficulties accessing STI/HIV care during the pandemic, especially during lockdowns and at public sexual health services. Hence, these may not have received the care they needed. Participants thought that COVID-19 measures may have compounded existing disparities. Furthermore, participants found that online care provision was not up to standard and were concerned about follow-up care for patients using private online providers of remote tests. It is important to explore how STI/HIV care for people in vulnerable circumstances can be ensured in future public health crises.",

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on STI and HIV Services in the Netherlands According to Health Care Professionals.

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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