Online HIV/STI Risk Test (ORT): A prospective cross‐sectional study among sexually active individuals in Germany

Abstract

Background: Our goal was to develop and evaluate an anonymous self-administrable web-based test to determine risk for HIV/STI. Methods: The Online HIV/STI Risk Test was developed and hosted since 12/2017. 11,529 participants completed the test and 10,668 were analyzed. The test included multiple choice questions about sociodemographic data, sexuality, sexual risk behavior, HIV/ STI testing. Participant data was stratified by gender and sexuality and analyzed.Results: 84.5 % were aged 18-39, 7.5 % < 18 and 8.1 % > 40. Males were 53.1 %, female 46.3 % and trans 0.6 %. 12.5 % were men who have sex with men (MSM). 59.1 % and 66.0 % of participants were vaccinated for hepatitis A and B respectively, but 75.1 % unvaccinated for HPV. Prior and repeated instances of HIV or other STI were higher among MSM. Yet, 61.4 % females, 70 % males and 55.4 % MSM had never tested for an STI. Although prevalence of > 3 sexual partners in the last twelve months was highest among MSM, condomless sex was greater among women. 34.5 % of males, 25.6 % of females, and 75 % of MSM engaged in anal sex respectively. Conclusions:The online HIV/STI Risk Test is a useful tool to acquire data on STI risk-behavior for strategizing STI prevention, testing, and vaccination, thus improving sexual health.

Pre‐test probability of sexually transmitted infections in persons presenting to a STI clinic: A prospective study

“…However, many of these scores have limitations, such as being specific to certain populations (e.g., sex, certain bacteria, or infection sites) and are not validated. [7][8][9][10] Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of STIs and systematically identify risk factors for confirmed STIs in an "all-comer" population presenting to an STI clinic in Central Europe.…”

Vortestwahrscheinlichkeit sexuell übertragbarer Infektionen bei Personen, die sich an einer STI‐Klinik vorstellen: Eine prospektive Studie

“…Viele dieser Scores haben jedoch Einschränkungen, wie die Spezifität für bestimmte Populationen (zum Beispiel Geschlecht, bestimmte Bakterien oder Infektionsorte) und sind nicht validiert. [7][8][9][10]…”

Perspectives on trans-specific sexual health needs based on a free anonymous Online HIV/STI Risk Test (ORT) survey in Germany

“…WIR - Walk In Ruhr, Center for Sexual Health and Medicine (https://www.wir-ruhr.de) is a premier and unique multidisciplinary, cross-sectoral and interinstitutional model care centre in Germany that developed the self-administrable Online HIV/STI Risk Test to evaluate STI risk based on, for example, sexual practices, condom use, vaccination, and prior and current STI testing and their results. Between 2017 and 2019, 11 529 subjects participated in our online survey6; 861 were excluded due to incomplete response and 10 605 were excluded due to being non-transgenders, and thus 63 subjects who self-reported as transgender individuals were taken for subsequent analysis.…”