Can Vending Machines Help Curb STDs? – By Steven Ross Johnson (US News) / Feb 7, 2024
A study of test-dispensing machines in England points to an innovative way to expand sexual health services
Vending machines offering tests for sexually transmitted infections hold promise as a way to reach people with sexual health services, according to a study that comes on the heels of recent increases in STIs in both the U.S. and England.
For the study, published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, researchers analyzed data associated with nearly a dozen vending machines in two regions of England that were stocked with free kits to help detect chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. The machines were placed in areas including a library, university student union, sauna, medical facilities, community center serving Black individuals and a cafe, among other locations.
Researchers said increased access to testing among men who have sex with men, people from Black communities and younger people 16 to 25 years old “was a priority” in the two regions the machines were placed, “as these groups have high risk of infection and do not regularly engage in HIV and STI testing,” according to the study.
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