(P74) ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF HURRICANE HARVEY ON STI TESTING FREQUENCY AND SERVICE LOCATIONS AMONG YOUTH (AGED 15-24): A CLAIMS DATA ANALYSIS

Background:
Youth, ages 15–24, account for approximately 50% of all new STI cases reported annually in the U.S. Our research builds upon previous analyses investigating the association between disaster events and STI testing services. Although the theory that disaster events can significantly impede STI services is widely accepted, the actual data supporting this notion is limited. This study utilizes Hurricane Harvey as a case study to investigate the effects of disaster events on the frequency and accessibility of STI testing among youth.

Methods:
We utilized MarketScan claims data to assess changes in STI testing among youth during Hurricane Harvey by comparing weekly rates of STI testing over a 24-month period. These findings were also compared with changes in STI testing rates among all other age groups. Descriptive statistics were used to examine STI testing trends for youth during Hurricane Harvey across different places of service, including office-based testing, inpatient hospital testing, outpatient hospital testing (on-campus), and independent laboratory testing.

Results:
Across the week of analysis (week-35), the total frequency of STI tests in 2017 decreased 39.9% for youth specifically. Moreover, the frequency of STI tests conducted at places of service regularly utilized by youth decreased by 64.6% (office), 19.0% (inpatient hospital), 55.7% (outpatient hospital-on campus), and 68.4% (independent laboratory) during the week of the disaster event.

Conclusion:
There was a significant decrease in STI testing among youth for all STIs, chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and syphilis, during Hurricane Harvey (Week 35). These declines in STI testing likely indicate missed opportunities for screening, posing a significant risk to mitigation strategies for youth and leading to continued transmission of STIs and other long-term sequelae. The findings of this study will contribute to raising awareness regarding STI testing among youth during emergency events and will expand the existing literature on the impact of disasters on STI care.