UNITED KINGDOM: The 374 Clinic: An Outreach Sexual Health Clinic for Young Men

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

UNITED KINGDOM: The 374 Clinic: An Outreach Sexual Health Clinic for Young Men

Sexually Transmitted Infections (12.04) Vol. 80: P.480-483 - Wednesday, December 29, 2004
D.A. Lewis; A. McDonald; G. Thompson; J.S. Bingham

The investigators sought to describe the establishment of the "374 clinic," a walk-in, community-based genitourinary medicine facility targeting men under 25 in a south London area with high rates of sexually transmitted infections. The clinic was set up within a Brook advisory center, which offers free sexual health advice and contraception for people under 25 and was already trusted by local young people. The researchers obtained epidemiological, clinical and lab data retrospectively for the clinic's first 24 weeks of service.

The 134 recorded attendances included 94 new and 10 rebook events. The men were ages 12-27, with a mean age of 18.2. Most were from black or ethnic minority communities; all but one were heterosexual. Most heard of the clinic through word of mouth, recommendation by Brook staff, or through clinic promotional material.

The men used condoms more frequently with non-regular than regular partners. Acceptance of screening for gonococcal and chlamydial infections, mostly by urine-based molecular techniques, was 98 percent. Acceptance of HIV testing in men ages 16 and older was 72 percent. Overall STI prevalence was 26 percent of the clinic population; asymptomatic and symptomatic patients were represented almost equally. At 12 percent, chlamydial infection was most prevalent.

The authors concluded: "The young men who attended the outreach clinic were happy to undergo both non-invasive urine based testing for gonorrhoea and chlamydia as well as phlebotomy to test for HIV and syphilis. The 374 clinic approach may prove to be a useful model for further outreach services to combat poor sexual health of young men in inner city areas."
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