Junior

Junior - 37-year-old who identifies as male (he/him) who three years ago immigrated from Africa to the Northern Territory. He attends the sexual health centre for a routine STI screen. Junior regularly attends the clinic given he is a sex worker. Junior has sex with both male and female (including people with a penis and vagina) partners for work and uses condoms most of the time. Recently a rash has appeared on Junior’s penis. Junior has been searching the internet regarding his symptoms and signs. You address the misinformation from online platforms.

Clinical indicator

- Culturally and linguistically diverse people

- Syphilis Outbreak region

- Sex worker

- MSM

Key learnings and take away

- Normalising – Normalising the reasons for asking the types and depth of questions to determine what tests need to be performed. Although Francisco is a regular patient and had previous sexual health check-ups this is still important.

- Normalising – The role of the internet when searching for answers related to health but also the way in which the internet may reinforce anxiety related to health concerns.

- Role of assumptions – Without the right questioning and making assumptions that Junior might not have sexual contact outside work a full understanding regarding his risk profile might not be obtained.