TY - JOUR
T1 - A Perspective on Home-Based Sexual Health Care
T2 - Evidence, Access, and Future Directions
AU - (Hanneke) Goense, Cornelia J. D.
AU - Evers, Ymke J.
AU - Hoebe, Christian J. P. A.
AU - Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole H. T. M.
PY - 2025/12/1
Y1 - 2025/12/1
N2 - PurposeThis perspective explores the impact of home-based sexual health services on accessibility to STI and HIV testing for priority populations. This study evaluates home-based services as independent care options and as complementary components of traditional clinic-based care.Recent FindingsChallenges for persons to attend clinic-based sexual health care can be overcome by offering lower threshold home-based sexual health care. Implementing home-based services has successfully reached priority populations, including previously untested men who have sex with men (MSM) and individuals with a high exposure risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), attending location-based sexual health care. A challenge in home-based services is to ensure equitable care, such as for individuals with limited access to digital resources or low health literacy.SummaryWhile home-based sexual health services enhance the accessibility of sexual healthcare, to ensure equitable care, research into the needs of still underserved populations and subsequent tailoring of the care offered, is needed. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of home-based services may maximize the advantages of this promising type of care.
AB - PurposeThis perspective explores the impact of home-based sexual health services on accessibility to STI and HIV testing for priority populations. This study evaluates home-based services as independent care options and as complementary components of traditional clinic-based care.Recent FindingsChallenges for persons to attend clinic-based sexual health care can be overcome by offering lower threshold home-based sexual health care. Implementing home-based services has successfully reached priority populations, including previously untested men who have sex with men (MSM) and individuals with a high exposure risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), attending location-based sexual health care. A challenge in home-based services is to ensure equitable care, such as for individuals with limited access to digital resources or low health literacy.SummaryWhile home-based sexual health services enhance the accessibility of sexual healthcare, to ensure equitable care, research into the needs of still underserved populations and subsequent tailoring of the care offered, is needed. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of home-based services may maximize the advantages of this promising type of care.
KW - Home-based sexual health care
KW - STI testing
KW - HIV testing
KW - Perspective
KW - Implementation
KW - SELF-SAMPLING KITS
KW - HIV
KW - BARRIERS
KW - MSM
U2 - 10.1007/s11904-025-00724-5
DO - 10.1007/s11904-025-00724-5
M3 - (Systematic) Review article
SN - 1548-3568
VL - 22
JO - Current HIV - AIDS Reports
JF - Current HIV - AIDS Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 20
ER -