Table 2

Association between factors for avoiding or delaying seeking testing or sexual healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic and unmet sexual health needs

FactorTotal with sexual health need
n=662*
At least one need unmet
n=345
All needs met
n=317
Unadjusted OR
(95% CI)
Adjusted† OR
(95% CI)
Any factor441/662 (67%)310/345 (90%)131/317 (41%) 12.58 (8.40 to 19.29) 10.38 (6.63 to 16.64)
Public messaging that was not supposed to seek non-urgent healthcare234 (35%)181 (52%)53 (17%) 5.50 (3.85 to 7.96) 4.27 (2.88 to 6.42)
Concern about getting COVID-19 while at a clinic/lab214 (32%)160 (46%)54 (17%) 4.21 (2.95 to 6.08) 2.63 (1.73 to 4.04)
Place usually go for testing/care was closed or had reduced services178 (27%)119 (34%)59 (19%) 2.30 (1.61 to 3.31) 2.52 (1.68 to 3.82)
Concerned about getting COVID-19 while travelling to a clinic/lab147 (22%)112 (32%)35 (11%) 3.87 (2.58 to 5.95) 2.21 (1.38 to 3.58)
Worried that healthcare provider might judge me for having sex during the COVID-19 pandemic82 (12%)59 (17%)23 (7%) 2.64 (1.61 to 4.46) 2.56 (1.47 to 4.57)
Didn’t know where to access services77 (12%)55 (16%)22 (7%) 2.54 (1.53 to 4.35) 2.46 (1.38 to 4.48)
Live/close contact with someone at risk of COVID-1936 (5%)28 (8%)8 (3%) 3.41 (1.60 to 8.13) 2.64 (1.11 to 6.92)
  • Bold: 95% CI excludes 1.

  • *Excluding individuals with missing data for any variable included in adjusted models.

  • †Adjusted for age, gender, sexual orientation (behaviour), race/ethnicity, education, comfort accessing in-person services, and being a GetCheckedOnline user.