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Service learning is a pedagogical strategy in which students complete a project at a community-based organization where they can apply classroom skills in a real-world context. Service learning can benefit student learning outcomes and continues to expand in public health education; yet there is the potential for ethical concerns. In particular, service learning may reinforce inequities between academic institutions and community organizations by positioning academic institutions as holding significant power and resources and inadvertently promoting this dynamic to students. This perspective provides an overview of service learning in public health and related fields, discusses the benefits of service learning as well as the gaps in standardization and evaluation, and highlights situations in which inequities may emerge. Recommendations are provided, with the goal of helping future health promotion professionals better meet the objective of fostering social justice through public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prompt and effective treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is important for minimizing sequelae. Additionally, by providing a prescription or medication to the partners of Ctpositive patients, expedited partner treatment (EPT) can decrease reinfections. EPT is contingent upon an index patient's ability to contact their sex partners. Many patients assert their partners are unable to be contacted; however, little is known about why a partner may be uncontactable. Methods: Black men aged 15-24 were enrolled in a community Ct screening/treatment program in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 20th, 2018, to March 14th, 2020. All men underwent a computer-assisted self-administered survey eliciting information on the nature of their sexual partners and received a Ct NAAT test. All Ct positive men were offered expediated treatment for themselves and patientdelivered partner-treatment (PDPT) for their sex partners. Factors associated with the ability to recontact partners were assessed using GEE. Kappa analysis was conducted to assess the agreement between ability to contact partners and delivery of medication to that partner. Results: Of the 1023 men screened, 104 (10.2%) tested positive for Ct. Their median age was 20.3 (range 15.5-24.9), and the median number of female partners reported in the last two months was 1 (range 1-10). Information was provided on 184 female partners, of whom 143 (77.7%) were deemed contactable by the index. Factors positively associated with increased odds of being contactable were being a girlfriend compared to an internet hookup (p< 0.0001), being someone the index might want a relationship with compared to a girlfriend (p=0.0078), living together (p< 0.0001), longer sexual relationship duration (p=0.0308) and having known the partner for a while compared to meeting them through people not well known by the index (p=0.0035). Only 72/184 (39.1%) partners received PDPT. There was low agreement between reporting a partner was contactable and the receipt of PDPT by that partner (kappa=0.0396 [-0.0624, 0.1427]). Conclusions: Several factors are associated with being able to contact a partner. Yet reporting that a partner is contactable, may not guarantee that the partner receives PDPT. More evidence is needed to elicit barriers to PDPT to maximize treatment of Ct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current US syphilis screening focuses on men who have sex with men (MSM), due to the increased risk of infection in their sexual networks, as well as on pregnant people, due to complications associated with congenital syphilis. However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends screening for men who have sex with women (MSW) who are at increased risk of syphilis. Factors associated with syphilis testing and positivity were assessed among young, Black MSW. Methods: Data from the Check It study were used. Check It was a seek test and treat study for chlamydia in New Orleans, LA among Black MSW aged 15-24. For the present analysis, survey data was used to elicit self-reported syphilis testing, selfreported testing results, and socio-demographic and behavioral factors. Results: Per CDC, all men were recommended for syphilis screening due to their age and race. Of the 1458 men included, 272 (18.7%) reported ever having been syphilis tested, 267 men reported their results, and 23 (8.6%) reported testing positive. Syphilis testing was associated with inconsistent condom use (OR:1.71, p< 0.001), drug use (OR: 1.39, p=0.021), binge drinking (OR:1.90, p< 0.001), prior HIV testing (OR:23.65, p< 0.001), more than high school education (OR:2.11, p< 0.001), non-use of social services (OR:0.70, p=0.014), belief that their partner had other partners (OR: 1.39, p=0.018), and Ct testing (OR: 11.01, p< 0.001). Syphilis testing was not associated with having a male partner, having insurance, multiple partners in the last two months, prior Ct positivity, meeting partners on social media, HIV positivity, transactional sex, prior incarceration, using only marijuana, or testing positive for Ct or gonorrhea (GC) during the study. Association between these factors and syphilis positivity was assessed; only testing positive for Ct or GC during the study was associated with syphilis positivity (OR: 3.08, p=0.024). Conclusions: Though syphilis testing was associated with factors that might increase risk of acquisition, over 80% of individuals meeting CDC testing recommendations had never been screened. Of those reporting a prior test, many reported positivity. Hence, efforts should be made to expanding testing reach for syphilis among young Black MSW in the Deep South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Though the majority of HIV transmission in the US occurs through male-to-male sexual contact, heterosexual contact was still responsible for roughly 20% of new infections in 2020. There are significant disparities in acquisition, with those between 20-29 and Black individuals facing disproportionately more new diagnoses. Prompt testing of those at elevated risks is essential to treat individuals and reduce the risk of transmission. Methods: Data from the Check It study were used. Check It was a seek test and treat study for Chlamydia Trachomatis (Ct) in New Orleans, LA among Black MSW aged 15-24. For the present analysis, survey data was used to elicit self-reported HIV testing, self-reported testing results, and sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Factors associated with HIV testing and positivity were examined. Results: Per CDC, all individuals should be tested at least once in their lifetime, and men at increased risk (who have male sexual contact, multiple partners, have partners with multiple partners, or inject nonprescription drugs) should be tested annually. Of the 1321 men included, 694 (52.2%) reported ever having been HIV tested, 551 (41.5%) were tested in the last year. Of those tested, 44 (6.3%) self-reported that they were positive. Of the 720 (57.8%), men who met the recommendation for annual testing only 323 (44.9%) reported being tested in the previous year. HIV testing was associated with inconsistent condom use (OR:1.71). Conclusions: Though HIV testing was associated with factors that might increase risk of acquisition, fewer than half of men meeting annual testing recommendations had been tested in the past year. Reaching more young Black men for HIV testing in the Deep South would support the reduction of the burden of this disease among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Behavioral clustering is a phenomenon in which several risk or protective behaviors co-occur in an individual. Behavioral clustering has been found in adolescents and young adults, across a range of behaviors (e.g., bullying, substance use). We sought to determine if prior sexual risk behaviors among young Black men who have sex with women (MSW) were associated with non-adherence to COVID-19 prevention behaviors. Methods: Young Black MSW aged 15-26 previously enrolled in a community-based Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) screening program were enrolled in a sub-study between May-June 2020 and asked about adherence to four early COVID-19 recommended prevention behaviors (hand washing, mask wearing, social distancing, and following stay at home orders). Participants rated their adherence to each behavior as "all of the time", "most of the time", "some of the time", "none of the time", and "refuse to answer". Responses were coded as 3, 2, 1, 0, and missing, from which a COVID-19 preventative behavior score was created by summing those values. Data from the original study was used to elicit the follow pre-pandemic behaviors: having multiple partners, inconsistent condom use, prior HIV testing, prior Ct or gonorrhea (GC) testing, testing positive for Ct/GC during the study, binge drinking, or drug use. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to assess the association between historic risk behaviors and COVID-19 behavior score. Results: Of the 111 men included in the analysis, the mean age was 20.5 (S.D. 2.0), with 19.1% previously testing positive for Ct or GC during the parent study. Those who used non-prescription drugs (p=0.001), or marijuana (p=0.028) had a lower median COVID-19 preventative score compared to those who did not engage in those activities. Prior positive Ct/GC test at enrollment in the parent study, inconsistent condom use, Ct/GC testing prior to study enrollment, prior HIV testing, having multiple partners, and binge drinking were not associated with COVID-19 preventative score. Conclusion: Self-reported non-prescription drug and marijuana use was a significant predictor of lower adherence to COVID-19 preventative behaviors among young Black men. Young people who use drugs may need additional support to promote COVID-19 preventative behavior uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT) allows index patients who test positive for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) to provide treatment to partners directly. PDPT is contingent upon an index being able to contact their partner. The aims of this study were to assess factors related to being able to contact a partner and being able to successfully deliver their treatment., Methods: Participants were Black men who have sex with women aged 15-26 enrolled in a community Ct screening/treatment program in New Orleans, LA who tested positive for Ct and completed a computer-assisted survey. Factors associated with the index's ability to contact their recent sex partner(s) and to successfully deliver PDPT to his partner(s) were compared by characteristics of the relationship., Results: Of 104 young men who tested positive for Ct, the median age was 20.3 years and information was reported on 184 female partners, of whom 143 (77.7%) were deemed contactable by the index. Only the index wanting to have sex with the partner again was significantly associated with their ability to contact the partner (odds ratio [OR] 5.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.18, 13.23). Only 72/184 (39.1%) partners received PDPT. The index being interested in sex with partner again (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.23-5.27) was associated with greater odds of successful PDPT delivery whereas if index believed their partner had other partners, successful PDPT was less likely (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.26-0.99). There was low agreement between an index's ability to contact their partner and the delivery of PDPT (kappa = 0.04 [-0.062, 0.143)., Discussion: Asking patients if they can recontact prior sexual parters may be insufficient to ensure that their partners receive PDPT., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Measuring condom use accurately is important to understanding sexual behaviors; however, there is still no consensus on the gold standard of condom use measurement. In this study, authors aimed to investigate if non-response rates were higher when absolute or relative frequency condom use questions were utilized., Methods: This study used Check It study data of Black men who have sex with women, ages 15-26 in New Orleans, LA. All men underwent a survey of sexual behavior, which included questions on condom use. From January 2017 to August 2019, participants were asked for the number of sex acts during which they had used a condom (absolute frequency question), and after August 2019 until March 2020, this was changed to response options of "Never", "Sometimes" or "Always" (relative frequency question). Participants could refuse to answer the question; the rate of refusal was tabulated by question type to determine if non-response rates differed., Results: There were 1907 participants included in the study, with data on 2957 partnerships. Of those asked the relative frequency question, 92.7% responded compared to 86.1% who were asked the absolute frequency. In GEE modeling, those asked the relative frequency question had 2.42 (95% C.I. 1.42, 4.13, p < 0.001) greater odds of response than those asked the absolute frequency question., Conclusions: Relative frequency questions may be more likely to elicit a response, in research among this population., (Copyright © 2024 American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association. All rights reserved.)