Background Understanding why patients attend SHCs can inform service development.

Aims To describe SHC attendance patterns amongst heterosexual men and MSM.

Methods Heterosexual and MSM first attending SHC in 2012 were identified through the GUM Clinic Activity Dataset-v2 and followed for 365 days. Attendance frequency and outcomes were recorded. Attendance outcomes were classified: ‘test-only’ for negative sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV) and no other service/diagnosis; ‘any-STI’; ‘non-STI’ for other conditions; ‘other-GU-service’ such as health advice, post-exposure prophylaxis/vaccination; and ‘Other’ episodes not requiring treatment.

Results 809,106 attendances were identified among 438,609 men (81.37% heterosexual, 12.96% MSM). The Table describes age, visit frequency and attendance outcomes. Multivariate Poisson regression adjusted for age, ethnicity, and area-level deprivation demonstrated that attendance frequency was greater amongst MSM (Incidence Rate Ratio 1.69, p < 0.001) and men with any-STI at first attendance (IRR 1.67, p < 0.001).

Discussion Men who are appropriate for clinically and cost-efficient pathways, such as telephone review and home testing, could be identified at first attendance and offered customised care pathways stratified by risk.