Research, surveillance and resources for Sexual Health

Strategies and action plans

The Queensland Sexual Health Strategy 2016–2021 will help improve the sexual and reproductive health of all Queenslanders by addressing a broad range of sexual and reproductive health issues including health promotion, prevention, clinical service provision and community education.

The strategy provides an overarching framework and the following action plans have been developed to support key priority areas of the strategy:

• HIV Action Plan 2016–2021 (PDF, 2.0MB)
• Hepatitis B Action Plan 2016–2021 (PDF, 2.1MB)
• Hepatitis C Action Plan 2016–2021 (PDF, 2.0MB)
• North Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sexually Transmissible Infections Action Plan 2016–2021 (PDF, 4.31MB).

The action plans align with the National Strategies for Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections 2014-2017. New national strategies are under development in 2018.

Blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections surveillance

• The Kirby Institute National BBV & STI Surveillance and Monitoring Reports provide an annual account of progress against the objectives of Australia’s National Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategies. 
• Queensland Health’s notifiable conditions reports gather a range of data to inform prevention, diagnosis and treatment of notifiable sexually transmissible infections, HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis.

HIV reporting

Queensland Health produces an annual report describing notifications of HIV in Queensland

• HIV in Queensland 2016 (PDF, 269kB)
• HIV in Queensland 2015 (PDF, 300kB)
• HIV in Queensland 2014 (PDF, 585kB)
• HIV in Queensland 2013 (PDF, 643kb)
• HIV in Queensland 2012 (PDF, 1MB)
• 2011 HIV/AIDS Report: Epidemiology and Surveillance (PDF, 785kb)

Syphilis reporting

Queensland Health produces an annual report describing notification of syphilis in Queensland, focusing particularly on the demographic distribution and risk factors among infectious syphilis cases.

Download the report on Syphilis in Queensland 2010 - 2015 (PDF, 838kb)

Queensland sexual health information and organisations

Sexual health information

• Sexual health for the Queensland public
• Sexual health animations

Organisations providing sexual health services

• Australasian Society of HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine – a peak, member-based organisation supporting health professionals in Australia and New Zealand who work in the area of HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs.
• Sexual Health Society of Queensland – provides authoritative advice and advocacy regarding all aspects of sexual health in Queensland.
• Queensland Injectors Health Network – a non- government, not for profit organisation which provides a variety of health services to illicit drug users throughout Queensland.  
• Queensland AIDS Council – a community organisation that delivers HIV prevention programs, critical peer support and client services for people with HIV.
• Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland – provides access to culturally appropriate health information and services, including a Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Program for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Queensland.
• True relationships and reproductive health – provides clinic services and education relating to reproductive and sexual health.
• Hepatitis Queensland – a non-government, community organisation that provides support, education and resources about viral hepatitis.  
• Queensland Positive People – a peer-based organisation that advocates for people living with HIV, providing support, education, prevention, treatment and health promotion services about HIV and other STIs.  
• Respect Inc – support services focused on the rights and wellbeing of Queensland sex workers.
• Open Doors Youth Service – support services for LGBTIQ young people and their families.
• Women's Health Queensland Wide – a not for profit health promotion, information and education service which provides coaching, support and health information for women of all ages in Queensland.
• Youth Link – works with disadvantaged, homeless and at risk young people in Cairns, providing services and support in health (including sexual and reproductive health), housing, and emergency relief.  
• Youth Empowered Towards Independence (YETI) - supports the health and wellbeing of young people (aged between 12 and 25) who live in far north Queensland through a variety of programs.
• Queensland World AIDS Day Alliance – aims to raise awareness in the Queensland community about HIV/AIDS issues.

National sexual health information sites

Partner notification

• Let Them Know – a website developed to help people who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmissible infection to tell their sexual partners they might be at risk.
• The Drama Down Under – provides information for men who have sex with men about the most common STIs, and provides a service to advise their sexual partners that they might also be at risk by sending an e-card or SMS either personally or anonymously. Men can also register to receive a regular reminder to have a sexual health check-up.
• Better to Know – provides information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about common STIs as well as a service to advise their sexual partners that they might also be at risk by sending an e-card or SMS, either personally or anonymously.

Sexual health information for young people

• In Real Life – is a guide to sex and relationships for 15 to 18 year olds in Australia, providing real life answers to questions about sex, relationships, pregnancy, STIs, contraception and their body.
• Frank – is a guide to sex and relationships for 18 to 30 year olds in Australia, providing frank questions and answers about sexual and reproductive health
• Young Deadly Free – a project aiming to increase STI and BBV testing and treatment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people living in remote communities across Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia.
• Play Safe (NSW) – information about safe sex, condoms, STI treatment and testing.
• Get the Facts (WA) – provides young people in WA with information on sexual health and relationships, including STIs, BBVs, contraception, body image, tattoos, and piercings.

Key research bodies and programs

• Kirby Institute – a leading global research institute dedicated to the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

• Justice Health Research Program – conducts surveillance of BBVs and STIs in prisons and among offenders including the National Prison Entrants’ Blood Borne Virus Survey .
• Viral Hepatitis Epidemiology and Prevention Program – conducts research on key infections (including viral hepatitis and HIV)  in vulnerable populations such as sex workers, people who use/inject drugs and men who have sex with men, including the Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey .

• Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society reports (LaTrobe University) – is a centre for social research into sexuality, health and the social dimensions of human relationships.
• Burnet Institute – a national, not for profit organisation linking medical research with practical action to address global health issues.
• University of NSW Centre for Social Research in Health (Formerly the National Centre in HIV Social Research) – is a national and international research leader specialising in the behavioural and social research of health (conducts the Gay Community Periodic Surveys ).
• Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (NSW) – an organisation that works with culturally diverse communities and health services in NSW to improve health and well-being in relation to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
• HIV/STI Professorial Chair, UQ
  • 2017 Monitoring and Evaluation Annual Report Number One (PDF, 1.9MB) - Queensland Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Demonstration Project Expansion (QPrEPd)