Austin STI testing demand spikes while funding falls: report

AUSTIN, Texas - A recent report from the Kind Clinic in Austin found the demand for walk-in testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI) spiked last year. Meanwhile, funding dropped during the same period, straining public health efforts in central Texas. 

FOX 7 Austin's Rebecca Thomas spoke with Christopher Hamilton, CEO of Texas Health Action, about the report's findings.

REBECCA THOMAS: How big of a demand is there for STI testing, and what's behind the recent trend?

CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON: So we've seen an increase of about 176% in our walk in testing space. This space provides STI testing and treatment for people that don't have an appointment or may not be able to schedule one. We've had a growing population in central Texas and then there are increases in STIs, not only because demand is increasing, but we're also seeing lack of access. So if you cannot get into testing and treatment in a timely manner and that can further contribute to transmission in a community.

REBECCA THOMAS: So what steps are being taken to overcome the stigma of STIs and, you know, getting the importance of getting tested out to the public?

CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON: So we get outside the clinic and meet communities and different venues and different events to talk about sexual health with an emphasis on health. We make sure that we have staff in an environment that are nonjudgmental, non shaming and build trust with everybody that comes in so that people can have a very open and frank conversation with their health care provider about what sexual health looks like for them, what is right for them.

REBECCA THOMAS: A pharmaceutical company, Gilead, which is a major manufacturer of HIV prevention and treatment medications, cut its funding through a medication reimbursement program last year. Why did this happen, and what was the impact on the clinic?

CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON: The impact has been enormous to us, so we're having to use our savings account right now in order to continue these services while we look for new sources of funding to continue to provide the service. Unfortunately, we're seeing reductions in federal budgets. State budgets are not increasing. So we're going to have to turn to our local community to take care of ourselves and find the funding in order to prevent and avert a crisis in our stories. We're seeing this surge in rates across the state and across the nation. Houston recently declared an outbreak of syphilis there, and we want to make sure that in Austin we can continue to do what we do and prevent any further crises from happening.

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REBECCA THOMAS: What support does Kind Clinic need to do to serve its patients? Obviously, you know, I know you want more funding from the federal government. What else is needed?

CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON: I mean, at the most basic level, funding is what makes this happen in order to provide for the staff and all the tests that we run. Last year we provided over 11,000 testing visits and just in that walk-in space among the nearly 18,000 that we provided across our clinics. So funding at its most basic level really is the major support that we need to continue the service. Other health care providers in our community may be able to have conversations with their patients. I know sometimes people don't feel comfortable talking to their doctor about their sexual health. We hope that providers will create a nonjudgmental, non shaming, non stigmatizing environment for their patients so that they can have that conversation about sexual health. This is going to take a response from all of us in order to address in our community.