On December 2, a thematic day on STBBIs was held as part of the 27e edition of the annual Public Health Days. Around a hundred people involved in the screening and prevention of STBBIs were able to benefit from the experience and expertise of a dozen guest speakers.
The shared projects, research and initiatives fell under one of the following three themes:
- Methods for monitoring STBBIs and their use as a lever for better intervention;
- Intersectoral collaborations and intervention strategies for the benefit of priority populations;
- Biomedical prevention as a new avenue of intervention in STBBI.
The day began with the presentation of the evolution of the work of epidemiological surveillance of STBBIs in Quebec as well as different surveillance modalities useful for public health interventions. A data analysis and presentation tool, Power BI, was then presented, accompanied by the example of a concrete use carried out in the Laval region.
The second part of the day allowed participants to familiarize themselves with different public health interventions developed for the benefit of vulnerable populations, as well as with the conditions favorable to their implementation, in particular intersectoral collaboration. Group discussion activities, combined with presentations, reinforced the importance of clearly identifying key partners, barriers or challenges likely to be encountered, as well as facilitators in an intersectoral collaboration process. .
At the end of the day, participants were able to hear a conference about the new Canadian guidelines on the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). HCV and HIV infection and the use of PrEP among people who inject or inhale drugs were the subject of the second conference. Accompanied by a representative of the DRSP of Montreal, the speakers then answered questions from the public during a panel.
-The scientific committee and those co-responsible for the organization of this day are delighted to have been able to offer participants a variety of interventions aimed at different priority populations as well as to have allowed community initiatives to shine, and this, while ensuring significant regional representation.
Key messages
- Triangulation of data sources in epidemiological surveillance constitutes an essential lever to guarantee the completeness and relevance of the information collected in order to obtain a good picture of the situation.
- Approaches to priority populations must be intersectoral, integrating the active participation of the populations concerned and combining community or local strategies for greater effectiveness.
- Adapt interventions to the specific realities of populations is essential for building and maintaining a lasting bond of trust.
- Intervene proactively, while expanding access to screening, helps support the populations concerned in the continuity of care and services.
- Capitalize on the collective expertise of all partners promotes the development of innovative objectives and strategies in a structured and complex environment.
The PowerPoint presentations of the day will be available online on the JASP website within 2 months.
Written by
Anne Bruneau, Carol-Anne Roy-Chevalier and Stéphanie Vermette
