Amsterdam 2015
Menu
AIDSImpact.com
Conference Details
Authors
International Committee
Plenary Speakers
Presenting Speakers
Programme
Sessions
Scientific Committee
Acknowledgements
| Abstract #3439 - Late Breaker | ||||
|
Session: 47.1: Late Breaker (Parallel) on Friday @ 09.00-10.30 in C001 Chaired by Ophelia Haanyama, Chen Zhang Authors: Presenting Author: Miss Lisa Masters - Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom |
||||
| Additional Authors: | ||||
| Aim: To report on the problems of identifying and referring individuals attending sexual health clinics and showing persistent risk behaviour, and the failure to engage them in psychological interventions. | ||||
| Method / Issue: A retrospective review of all cases referred to the sexual health and HIV psychology team for sexual risk taking in 2014. Details of engagement, gender, age and other data was extracted from a clinical database. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Throughout a 12 month period, 43 individuals were referred for psychological treatment for sexual risk taking behaviour. Of these, only 23 (53%) attended assessment appointments arranged with the service. 20 (47%) patients did not attend their assessment appointment with the service. Of these, 3 (15%) were female and 17 (85%) were male with an average age of 29.85. 23 (53%) patients attended their assessment with the service. Of these, 1 (4%) was female and 22 (96%) were male with an average age of 36.37. Of the 23 who attended their initial appointment, 3 (13%) were referred onwards, 5 (22%) were discharged as treatment was not needed or not appropriate, 2 (9%) completed treatment, 7 (30%) are still engaged in treatment, and 6 (26%) initially engaged in treatment but later disengaged and were discharged. | ||||
| Discussion: Referrals to a specialist HIV and sexual health psychology team for sexual risk reduction work are very low and engagement rates are poor. Building links with sexual health clinics and educating staff is key in ensuring that these service users are identified and appropriately referred for psychological input. This data also indicates that it is important to reflect on how to engage this population and ensure that service users are able to attend initial appointments and continue to engage in longer-term treatment. Engagement of service users referred for sexual risk reduction work has important implications from a public health perspective. A further important point of discussion is whether psychological treatment for sexual risk taking behaviour could be appropriate to offer alongside PEP and PrEP treatments in future. | ||||
| Go Back | ||||