Community-Based STD Clinic for LGBT Youth (13 – 23) - A Collaborative Approach That Finds High Rates of Positivity

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) young people, especially young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Duval County, Florida, have unique health needs not easily addressed by the public health or the medical community.  In Duval, at least one in 13 Black MSM have HIV. Young males make up 33% of the HIV cases among men.  Duval County ranked first in Florida in the number of Gonorrhea cases reported in 2007, second in Chlamydia, and sixth in Syphilis and HIV. 

Objectives:  To increase STD / HIV testing and access to health care for LGBT youth

Methods: The Duval County Health Department (DCHD) and the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network, (JASMYN), the LGBT youth center, developed an innovative collaboration to provide services to LGBT youth through an on-site STD clinic.  The clinic, offered twice monthly at JASMYN, provides STD screening and treatment, HIV rapid testing and linkages to care.  DCHD provides an ARNP, medications and supplies. JASMYN provides the facility and outreach to LGBT youth in a friendly venue with culturally appropriate staff.  

Results: A total of 112 clients received 149 clinical services during 46 clinic sessions.  Of these, 13.4% tested positive for HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and/or Syphilis.  For Black YMSM, 16.3% tested positive for at least one STD. Of 71 HIV tests administered, 7% positivity rate was found; all were Black YMSM.

Conclusions: Locating the STD clinic at the LGBT youth center increased testing and STD services to underserved high- risk youth, and identified high rates of positivity for both STD and HIV.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and/or Research: This clinic should be sustained to have a deeper impact on LGBT youth and the STD / HIV rates in Duval.  Program expansions that broaden the impact of the clinic include vaccinations and primary medical care.