St. James Infirmary (SJI),located in San Francisco, California, is a peer-based Occupational Health and Safety clinic for sex workers of all genders and their families, founded in 1999. In 2003, SJI launched a venue-based sexually transmitted infection and HIV (STI/HIV) testing program at the Nob Hill Cinema, a local male strip club, and at the Market Street Cinema and Lusty Lady, two local female strip clubs. Every 4-6 months our sex worker peer-based staff arrange entrance to the clubs and offer individual risk reduction counseling (IRRC)and testing over the course of an evening.
Dancers self-select to participate and after private IRRC sessions decide with their counselor which tests tests will be performed. Offered tests include oral tests for HIV, and pharyngeal, rectal and urine tests for gonorrhea (GC) and chlamydia (CT). Participants receive results one to two weeks later at SJI, during which time they may receive any other clinic services. Since its inception, the venue testing has screened 50 unique individuals, with many becoming repeat testers. We have a 100% disclosure and treatment rate. Of 55 HIV tests, 5.45% (n=3)were postive. Positivity rates for pharyngeal GC were 7.31% (n=3), rectal GC 8.33% (n=1), and urine GC 0% (n=51). Chlamydia positivity rates were 2.56% (n=1) for pharyngeal CT, 0% (n=11)for rectal CT, and 0% (n=51) for urine CT. Venue testing offers a way to reach sex industry workers who might not otherwise access services at SJI directly. By bringing our non-judgmental services directly to workers we build the trust neccesary to ensure follow-up in clinc which then allows introduction to our comprehensive peer-based array of medical and social services.
Conflict of Interest: None Disclosed
Recorded In Sydney in April 2007
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