Young Australians’ experiences of sexual healthcare provision by general practitioners

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Young Australians are disproportionately affected by sexually transmissible infections (STIs), compared with the general population. The aim of this study was to explore how young Australians sought sexual healthcare from their general practitioners (GPs) and what factors were important to them when seeking sexual healthcare. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was performed using an anonymous survey of young people. RESULTS: Those belonging to a priority population were less likely to seek sexual healthcare from their GPs when compared with the non-priority population. Those not belonging to a priority population but with a history of ≥1 STI were also less likely to seek sexual healthcare from their GPs when compared with the rest of the non-priority population. DISCUSSION: Young people with a history of ≥1 STI who do not belong to a priority population may be avoiding their GPs for sexual healthcare. This group of young people is at risk of STIs, and research is needed to determine how to best provide adequate sexual healthcare for this population.