Intended Audience:
- Healthcare professionals looking for a syphilis public education resource
- Community educators looking for a syphilis community education resource
- People who are sexually active with multiple partners who want to learn more about syphilis
- People in general who want to learn more about syphilis
This blog series specifically focused on periods of time for diagnosing and treating syphilis. To revisit some general yet essential information about syphilis, PAN had the opportunity to speak with Emma Johnson, a Nurse Educator from the STI-HIV team at the BCCDC.
Listen to the recorded Q&A with Emma here (11 minutes: 50 seconds):
Repeating essential messaging surrounding Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBIs) is important for several reasons:
Reaching Diverse Audiences:
People have varying levels of awareness, education, and access to information. Repeating messages increases the likelihood of reaching different audiences so that important information is more available for people to be aware of and learn.
Continuous Learning:
Repetition aids in knowledge retention. Regular reminders are particularly beneficial for topics with health implications, as individuals may forget or overlook critical details.
Combatting Stigma:
STBBIs are often associated with stigma and misconceptions. Repetitive messaging helps dispel myths, assumptions, and foster a more informed and supportive community to reduce stigma.
Highlighting Priorities:
Repeated messaging emphasizes the priority of sexual health, encouraging individuals to prioritize regular testing for early detection and treatment, open communication with partners, and engagement with healthcare services.
Supporting Positive Health Outcomes:
Repetition of information can support individuals in making choices and decisions regarding sexual health, which can lead to positive health outcomes and the prevention of STBBIs.
In summary, essential messaging surrounding STBBIs benefits from repetition as it facilitates education and empowers personal decision-making. Consistent and reinforced communication contributes to reducing stigma, promoting regular testing, and supporting positive sexual health outcomes within communities.
Healthcare Provider Resource:
Are you a BC physician or nurse practitioner in need of easier access to specialist consultation that includes STBBI? Are you familiar with the RACE line? Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE) is a novel strategy to enhance patient care and can be accessed using:
- RACEapp (web-based using a browser)
- RACEapp+ (Android app for download)
- By phone Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00 at 604-696-2131 (Southwestern BC local calls) or toll free at 1-877-696-2131.
To learn more about what RACE can do for you as a clinician, watch some tutorial videos here.
This concludes the blog series about periods for diagnosing and treating syphilis. PAN would like to thank Emma Johnson at the BCCDC for sharing her knowledge and playing a key role in reviewing the blog series content and providing recommendations to ensure relevance and accuracy.
Read about:
Part 1: Key Periods for Diagnosing Syphilis
Part 2: Key Periods for Treating Syphilis
To learn some basics of syphilis:
BC Centre for Disease Control Health Info
BC Syphilis Action Plan Refresh, 2023-2025
Interesting reads related to syphilis:
Research Update: Rapid HIV and syphilis test now approved for clinical use
The BCCDC Position Statement on Doxycycline as Prophylaxis for Sexually Transmitted Infections
CATIE Webinar – Doxy-PEP and doxy-PrEP: Pill to prevent syphilis
CATIE News – Study finds some people with HIV are at greater risk for STI’s
Questions? Get in touch:
Monte Strong, Research and Evaluation Assistant: monte [at] paninbc.ca