COVID-19 and the impact on services for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections: Overview

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges related to the delivery of and access to healthcare due to public health measures and health system capacity have been reported across Canada. This includes sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection (STBBI)-related, harm reduction and mental health services in Canada. Certain populations face greater challenges in accessing care due to:

• stigma and discrimination
• systemic racism
• sex and gender
• socioeconomic factors such as income, housing, employment
• quality and availability of health services

As a result, these service disruptions may have had a greater impact on the health of the marginalized and racialized populations, including:

• African, Caribbean and Black people
• people who use drugs or alcohol
• First Nations, Inuit and Métis people

We conducted 4 national online surveys among healthcare service providers and these 3 populations. This will help us to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected delivery and access to:

• STBBI testing, prevention and treatment services
• harm reduction services

The 4 surveys are:

1. Survey among service providers
2. Survey among African, Caribbean and Black people
3. Survey among people who use drugs or alcohol
4. Survey among First Nations, Inuit and Métis people

The information collected will:

• provide context to better interpret STBBI trends during this time
• be used to inform policy and programs that aim to address the unintended consequences of public health measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Canada

For more information about these surveys, contact phac.tracks.aspc@canada.ca.