Cases of sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs), including gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, and syphilis, are on the rise across the province. TBDHU consistently reports higher rates for many of these STBBIs when compared to rest of Ontario (PHO – Infectious Disease Trends in Ontario Tool).
These infections pose a serious health risk to individuals and their partners. Health care providers can play a key role identifying cases and preventing complications and further transmission by assessing all patients for risk factors and screening those identified as at risk for STBBIs. This routine assessment is important as patients may be asymptomatic.
TBDHU provides support to health care providers in a variety of ways:
- Providing support and information about STBBI trends, best practices, and other sexual health-related topics affecting public health.
- Providing support and information on reporting requirements
- Supplying medications for STBBIs
- Providing individual consultations when needed
- STBBI Medication Orders
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Publicly funded STI medications are available to health care providers through the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. For more information or to place a STI medication order, please visit TBDHU’s STI Medication Order Form.
- High Risk Vaccines
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The Thunder Bay District Health Unit provides free High Risk Immunizations to all health care providers and medical clinics, for clients that meet the high risk criteria.
To order vaccines, please complete the our vaccine order form and follow the directions on the Immunization Resources for Vaccine Providers page.
- Patient Resources
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- Sexual Health Ontario | Ontario Public Health
- Sexandu.ca | The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
- The Sex You Want | Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance
- 2sLGBTQ+ Resources | Thunder Bay District Health Unit
- Reducing STBBI Stigma and Providing Inclusive Care
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Resources
- Language Matters: Using respectful language in relation to sexual health, substance use, STBBIs and intersecting sources of stigma | Canadian Public Health Association
- Resources for Reducing STBBI-related Stigma | Canadian Public Health Association
Online Courses and Training
- PHAC: Workshops on reducing STBBI-related stigma | Canadian Public Health Association
- HIV and Hep C Testing & Treatment Courses | CATIE
For Further Information
Providers can call (807) 625-8347 or
e-mail TBDHU Sexual Health Nurses at TBDHUSexualHealthNurses@tbdhu.com.
If you are sharing a client’s personal health information, fax 807-625-4866. Do not email personal health information to the Health Unit.
*This webpage was recreated with permission from the Windsor-Essex Health Unit based on the WECHU Health Care Provider’s Guide to Bacterial STIs (2022).