Improving services for prevention and treatment of STI/RTI
Chapter 5. Promoting prevention of STI/RTI and use of services

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Key points

• A public health approach to prevention and control of STI/RTI includes reducing barriers to services, raising awareness in the community, promoting services, and reaching out to people who do not typically use reproductive health services.
• Services should be accessible and acceptable, so that people do not hesitate to use them if they have concerns about STI/RTI.
• The community should be made aware of STIs/RTIs and their complications, and early use of services should be promoted.
• The role of untreated STIs/RTIs in infertility, pregnancy complications and HIV infection should be emphasized to encourage use of preventive and care services.
• Men should be encouraged to participate in STI/RTI prevention. Special services or referrals may need to be developed to address STI/RTI in men.
• Services need to reach young people who are often at high risk of STIs/RTIs and their complications, yet are often reluctant to attend clinics.
• Finding ways to reach the groups at highest risk of infection�such as sex workers and their clients�is key to reducing STI transmission.

 

As noted in Chapter 1, communities with good access to effective prevention and treatment services have lower rates of STI/RTI and their complications than communities where services are poor, disrupted or not used by people at risk of infection. This chapter looks at what can be done to reach more people in need of STI/RTI services and convince them to use the clinic. This involves:

• reducing barriers to use of services;
• raising awareness of STI/RTI and promoting use of services;
• reaching out to those who do not normally use reproductive health services.