This festival, organized for four years by Club Sexu, targets 18-35 year olds through a fun digital campaign and events, with the support of nearly 60 partners.
“We use festival codes to talk about sexuality in a positive way and celebrate taking charge of our sexual health,” explains Morag Bosom, researcher and sexological designer at Club Sexu, in an interview.
This year, the organization focused on accessibility, by offering a tool to help young people find the closest screening services adapted to their specific needs, such as LGBTQ+ clinics or tests covered by the RAMQ. By entering their criteria on depistafest.ca, they receive a top 3 of the most suitable clinics.
“The DépistaFest is above all an excuse to create a good habit: making an appointment for STI screening, at least once a year. We want to break the taboo surrounding screening,” adds Ms. Bosom.
“The perception of difficult access to screening can be a major barrier, but also the fear of judgment, of the results, of embarrassment in the waiting room or even of high costs. Our goal is to overcome these obstacles by showing that screening is not complicated. Our website offers a goldmine of resources, among other things on preparing for screening, managing a positive diagnosis, and how to talk about it with your partners.”
“Most STIs do not present any symptoms. This is why we encourage regular screening. You should not wait until you have symptoms to get tested. It is essential to be in a preventive approach to avoid complications.”
Cases on the rise despite increased access to testing and education
Young adults are particularly affected by STBBIs, but few are tested regularly. Only 31% of sexually active men and 42% of women aged 17 to 29 in Quebec have taken a screening test in the last 12 months.
“The rates of STIs, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, but also the return of syphilis, remain high compared to the last ten to fifteen years. If people were tested and treated, it could break the chain of transmission,” says the researcher.
“During COVID-19, testing services were disrupted, leading to a drop in reported cases. When services fully resumed, cases increased significantly. Some STBBIs continue to increase despite increased access to testing services and education. »
“It’s a shame,” she continues, “because with modern services and the information available, we have the means today to limit the transmission of STBBIs. However, something still blocks people, and it is often access or the perception of access to screening. »
In the Laurentians, DépistaFest’s partner, Le Dispensaire, will be present with its teams of workers and nurses in several cities until the end of June, including Saint-Eustache, Mirabel, Saint-Canut, Deux-Montagnes, Saint-Jérôme, Ste-Thérèse, Blainville, and Oka. For specific dates and locations, go to https://www.dispensaire.org/
