2018 SiREN Symposium

With the theme of “Connect, Learn, Apply”, the 2018 Symposium aimed to Connect: ignite collaborations and partnerships within the sexual health and blood-borne virus sector and make connections between evidence, policy and practice; Learn: presentations of research and evaluation results and new evidence; and Apply: presentations of practical experience from practitioners, researchers and policymakers.

This year saw over 130 delegates descend upon Technology Park Function Center for a jam packed one and a half days of presentations, discussions, workshops and networking. Delegates were able to choose between 45 abstract presentations which provided a professional and collegiate opportunity for new and seasoned presenters to share knowledge and obtain feedback.

Keynote presentations from Professor Martin Holt (UNSW), Professor Rebecca Guy (UNSW), Associate Professor James Ward (SAHMRI), and Dr Joe Doyle (Burnet Institute) provided insights into the latest national and Perth-based data, the media's role in public and sexual health, and the need for targeted interventions.

Thank you to the keynote and guest speakers, and all of the presenters for taking the time to participate. We would like to thank our session chairs and volunteers, as well as the Abstract Review Committee for assisting in shaping the program. A big thank you to the Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Program, WA Department of Health for making this event possible, and for generously providing funds to support regional and remote participation. Seven travel grants were awarded to delegates living in rural and remote WA; with delegates travelling from Denmark, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Carnarvon, and Albany to attend and contribute to both days of the Symposium.

For those of you that were able to attend, we hope you had a fantastic experience, made new connections, ignited existing ones, and learnt something valuable to take back to your workplaces.

You can download a copy of the 2018 SiREN Symposium Program here.

You can download a copy of the 2018 SiREN Symposium Evaluation Report here.

Presentation Videos

Keynote Addresses
Professor Rebecca Guy, The Kirby Institute, UNSW | Fun challenges to do with friends

Professor Martin Holt, Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW | Preparing for the impact of PrEP and the diversification of gay men's sex practices in WA: insights from local and national behavioural data

Dr Joseph Doyle, Burnet Institute | The pathway to hepatitis C elimination in Australia

Associate Professor James Ward, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute | Sexually transmissible infections and blood-borne viruses and associated issues in our communities

Panel Discussion: Youth Perspectives on Sexual Health
Habiba Asim & Kai Schweizer, YEP Crew, Youth Affairs Council of WA
Stephen Boccaletti, Freedom Centre.
Watch the video here.

Presentation Slides

Thursday 17 May, 2018

Keynote address

Professor Rebecca Guy, The Kirby Institute, UNSW | Fun challenges to do with friends

Professor Martin Holt, Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW | Preparing for the impact of PrEP and the diversification of gay men’s sex practices in WA: insights from local and national behavioural data

Concurrent session: Men’s health

Kaisha Wyld, Curtin University | PrEP in Australia: The lived experiences of men who have sex with men

Siân Churcher, WA Department of Health & Matt Bacon, WA AIDS Council | A Theoretical Model for describing Western Australia’s men who have sex with other men population

P.J Matt Tilley, Curtin University | Speaking safer sex: Exploring how young Australian men negotiate condom use

Dr Graham Brown, La Trobe University | Comparison of risk profile of gay men who acquired HIV while travelling with those who acquired HIV in Australia

Concurrent session: Working with peers

Rick Greenshields, WA AIDS Council | Methamphetamine peer education project

Amanda Siebert & Alex Lukare, HepatitisWA | Health Ambassadors Hepatitis B Program

Susan Theseira & Julia Morgan, Youth Affairs Council of WA | You’ve got a friend in me: Peer education in youth sexual health

Mark Reid, WA AIDS Council | HIV positive peer mentor program

Anne McKenzie, Consumer and Community Health Research Network | Meaningful engagement of peers in research, and program development and delivery

Concurrent session: Young people’s sexual health

Associate Professor Sharyn Burns, Curtin University | Supporting and evaluating relationships and sexuality education in schools: A multiple, holistic case study approach

Joanna Collins & Elizabeth Tyndall, WA Department of Health | Laugh and Learn: Using video to engage with young people about sexual health

Bianca Fish, HepatitisWA | YOUR Health –Where are we now?

Carl Heslop, Curtin University | Youth vs stakeholders: Perception vs reality in rural sexual health

Briannan Dean & Elizabeth Tyndall, WA Department of Health | Using contemporary social media channels to communicate sexual health messages

Concurrent session: Hepatitis C and safe injecting

Professor Donna Mak, WA Department of Health | Opportunities and challenges of linking routinely-collected data to evaluate blood-borne virus management and outcomes in Western Australia

Rebecca Bowman, HepatitisWA | How co-location of harm reduction and treatment services is contributing to the eradication of hepatitis C

David Worthington, WA Department of Health | Increasing access to sterile injecting equipment through a needle and syringe dispensing machine

Leanne Myers, Peer Based Harm Reduction WA | HCV treatment in a needle and syringe program

Plenary session

Clinical Associate Professor Dr Lewis Marshall, South Terrace Clinic | A clinician’s perspective: Scenes from the field

Friday 18 May, 2018

Opening address

Dr Roanna Lobo, SiREN, Curtin University | SiREN 2012-2020: From pilot to project

Keynote address

Associate Professor James Ward, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute | Sexually transmissible infections and blood-borne viruses and associated issues in our communities (part 1) (part 2)

Plenary session: Sexual health and blood-borne virus issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations

Associate Professor James Ward, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute | Young, Deadly, Free: The sexual health professional development needs of remote primary healthcare clinicians

Dr Belinda D’Costa, SiREN, Curtin University | Young, Deadly, Free: Preliminary evaluation findings and lessons learned

Rudie Marshall-Lang & Elizabeth Tyndall, WA Department of Health | ‘Look after your blood’ and ‘Stay safe you mob’. Social marketing campaigns for young Aboriginal people

Robyn Wansbrough & Rose Murray, Sexual Health Quarters | Mooditj 2: A resilience and respectful relationships program for Aboriginal young people

Concurrent session: Populations with unique needs

Dr Bradley McKernan, WA Country Health Service | Walk in sexual health clinic - fulfilling a need in rural Western Australia. How well are we doing?

Sandra Norman, SECCA | Improving sexual health outcomes for people with disabilities

Dr Indi Pattni, Multicultural Services Centre of WA | STOP: Lay concepts matter!

Ruth Swan & Jordina Quain, SECCA | Developing the SECCA App: A digital sexuality and relationships education resource for people with intellectual disabilities

Kevin Winder, Peer Based Harm Reduction WA | Evaluation of harm reduction packs – Meeting the needs of local street based needle and syringe exchange program consumers

Concurrent session: Capacity building

Matthew Armstrong, HepatitisWA | Conducting blood-borne virus and sexually transmissible infections education in Western Australian prisons – Overcoming barriers and challenges

Reena D’Souza, WA AIDS Council | Western Australian prison officer’s sexual health and blood-borne virus training – Reconnection with an old friend

Dr Jacqui Hendriks, Curtin University | Supporting the sector to deliver school-based relationships and sexuality education: The Curtin RSE Project 2014-2018

Rochelle Tobin, Curtin University | Using systems thinking to understand the influence of SiREN on research and evaluation practices

Sharelle Tulloh, WA Department of Health | The creation and implementation of RELATE – Western Australian respectful relationships education resources for secondary schools

Concurrent session: Sexual health in culturally and linguistically diverse populations

Professor Rebecca Guy, The Kirby Institute, UNSW | HIV in migrant populations in Australia: A changing epidemiology

Carol El-Hayek, Burnet Institute | Forming a migrant community network to build the capacity of communities around blood-borne virus and sexually transmissible infection prevention

Dr Lorel Mayberry, Curtin University | Life changing sexuality and relationship education for Hilltribe youth in Northern Thailand

Amira Hosny, Curtin University | Barriers to HIV testing among adult women from South East Asia

Concurrent session: Sexually transmissible infections – current issues

Caitriona Bennett, University of Notre Dame | Adherence to clinical guidelines for the management of genital chlamydia infection in Western Australia

Barakat Alsuwayyid, University of Western Australia | Genomic epidemiology and population structure of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from remote highly endemic Western Australian populations and implications for public health surveillance

Professor Donna Mak & Sharelle Tulloh, WA Department of Health | Connecting the Year 8 HPV vaccination program with school and youth sexual health education

Dr Michael Phillips, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research | A new explanation for rising rates of anal cancer

Concurrent session: Sexually transmissible infections and blood-borne virus treatments

Byron Minas & Kellie Mitchell, WA Department of Health | Blood-borne virus treatment uptake in Western Australia

Noëlle Blum, University of Western Australia| Optimising chlamydia partner treatment in Western Australia

Silvie Miczkova, WA Country Health Service | New era hepatitis C treatments – information and treatment pathway provision to existing HCV positive clients

Round table: HIV & Mobility

Facilitated by Dr Graham Brown, La Trobe University | Discussion Minutes