Federal health reform has the potential to impact many public health services, especially sexual health clinics. An article in Sexually Transmitted Disease, the journal of American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association, explores the changing landscape of sexual health clinical services after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
To assess the impact of such reform within the Denver Sexual Health Clinic (DSHC), researchers conducted a survey of patients to better understand their client population and their care-seeking behavior. Survey data were collected from patients attending the DSHC at three different points in time to ascertain insurance status, reasons for not having insurance, reasons for choosing care at the DSHC, and healthcare use over a 12 month period. The results showed that patients continue to visit the DSHC despite having health insurance. Study researchers recommend that sexual health clinics work to understand what drives people to seek care so that they can better prepare for the future. View the article to learn more.