Trends in Testing and Self-Reported Diagnoses of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Gay and Bisexual Men in Australia, 2017 to 2021: Analysis of National Behavioral Surveillance Surveys

Abstract

Background Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) are overrepresented in diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) relative to their population size. This study assessed trends in STI testing and diagnoses among GBM in Australia. Methods The Gay Community Periodic Surveys are repeated cross-sectional behavioral surveillance surveys of GBM. Participants reported the number of anal swabs, throat swabs, urine samples, and blood tests for syphilis they undertook in the last year. “Frequent comprehensive testing” was defined as ≥3 of each test in the previous year. Participants reported STI diagnoses of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and other STIs in the last year. Trends in testing and diagnoses from 2017 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 were assessed with logistic regression models. Results We analyzed 24,488 survey responses from participants reporting casual sex in the last 6 months. Between 2017 and 2020, frequent comprehensive STI testing decreased among HIV-negative GBM on preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) from 71.7% to 68.9% and declined further to 58.6% in 2021. Frequent comprehensive STI testing was stable during 2017–2020 among HIV-negative/untested GBM not on PrEP (17.4%–14.6%) and HIV-positive GBM (30.4%–35.1%) but declined in 2021 to 7.5% among non-PrEP-users and 25.7% among HIV-positive participants. There were minimal changes in STI diagnoses during 2017–2020, but diagnoses declined in 2021. Conclusions Many GBM do not meet Australian STI testing guidelines that recommend quarterly testing. Further evaluation of whether this recommendation is realistic or necessary to reduce STIs among GBM is recommended.