Characterizing STI testing and diagnosis disparities between Asian people with HIV and other racial/ethnic subpopulations in Washington, District of Columbia: a longitudinal analysis of the DC Cohort, 2018-2023.

BACKGROUND

People of Asian ethnicity represent one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States and may experience unique social and cultural challenges to accessing sexual healthcare. This analysis explores disparities in annual sexually transmitted infection screening and diagnosis rates per person-year between Asian and non-Asian people with human immunodeficiency virus in Washington, District of Columbia (DC).

METHODS

Using District Columbia cohort data, a longitudinal study of people living with human immunodeficiency virus receiving care in Washington, DC, we analyzed people with human immunodeficiency virus aged 18 or older with at least 1 year of follow-up between 2018 and 2023. Logistic regression was used to examine differences in sexually transmitted infection screening and diagnoses between Asian and non-Asian participants, while linear trend analyses were used to assess changes in the number of screenings and diagnoses between Asian and non-Asian participants.

RESULTS

Among 8679 eligible participants, 0.88% (n = 76) were Asian. No significant differences in total sexually transmitted infection screenings or diagnoses were observed. However, Asian participants had higher screening rates per person-year for pharyngeal and urogenital gonorrhea, pharyngeal chlamydia, and syphilis. Chlamydia incidence was higher among Asian than non-Asian participants. Over 30% of both groups met the annual screening recommendation during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Asians had comparable screening rates to non-Asians, but the small sample size limited the generalizability of our findings. Nonetheless, this study helps address an existing gap in the literature on Asian sexual health. Larger studies with detailed ethnic and social data are needed to deepen our understanding of sexual health service use within Asian communities.