Sexual behaviour, sexual health and sexually transmissible infections among people who inject drugs

There is concern about an increasing number of sexually transmitted infection (STI) notifications in most Australian cities among heterosexual men and women in recent years, including an increase in the number of congenital syphilis cases. Recent Australian and international studies have provided evidence that people who inject drugs are at increased risk of sexually transmissible infections, compared to people who do not inject drugs.

Why people who inject drugs are at increased risk of STIs is not entirely clear. However, it is likely influenced by both sexual behaviours and access to health services.

Burnet Institute has a long-standing history of conducting research with the mission of improving the health of people who inject drugs, as well as conducting research on sexually transmissible infections and sexual behaviour more broadly. Burnet also has well-established partnerships with community health clinics who provide harm reduction services such as needle and syringe exchange and opioid agonist therapy. Drawing on this, there are opportunities for both qualitative and quantitative projects that may help inform potential interventions to upscale testing and treatment for STIs among people who inject drugs. There are also opportunities for international collaboration for PhD students.

• using sentinel surveillance data, examine bacterial STI testing and prevalence among people who attend clinics offering harm reduction services
• examine trajectories of sexual behaviour among a cohort of people who inject drugs and the relationship with drug use and socio-demographic characteristics
• design and carry out a survey regarding sexual behaviour and sexual health among people attending clinics who offer harm reduction services
• conduct interviews and/or focus groups with service providers (doctors, nurses, community health workers) at clinics who offer harm reduction services regarding STI testing and treatment
• undertake interviews with people who inject drugs about their engagement in healthcare generally, and sexual healthcare more specifically.