Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Background

Sexual Health Hounslow completed targeted outreach in local asylum seeker populations. The methods and results of STI and BBV screening in this population are described.

Methods

A dedicated clinic 0.4 miles from the largest contingency hotel opened in January 2023, advertised through targeted hotel-based outreach. A hotel-based clinic opened in 2024.

A retrospective case-note review of all asylum seekers attending sexual health services in Hounslow between 01/02/2011 and 01/12/2023 was conducted.

Results

192 asylum seekers were included. 80 (41.7%) required translators. 111 (57.8%) were not registered with a GP. Thirty-three (17.2%) had a safeguarding concern. Eleven (9.2%) service users tested positive for HIV, two (1.7%) had a positive Hepatitis B surface antigen and three (2.5%) had a positive Hepatitis C antibody. Three (2.5%) required treatment for syphilis, six (4.5%) tested positive for gonorrhoea and 17 (12.7%) tested positive for chlamydia.

Conclusions

Rates of STIs in this cohort were high: 9.2% HIV and 12.7% Chlamydia prevalence versus 0.17% and 0.29% respectively in England. Patterns of STIs in this cohort differed from national trends. Targeted outreach can improve engagement, testing and care in excluded populations.

Keywords

Epidemiology prevention HIV screening

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

UNHCR. Data and Statistics

Global Trends

. Available at: https://www.unhcr.org/uk/global-trends (2025, Accessed 7 July 2025).

Gov.uk . How many people claim asylum in the UK? Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2025/how-many-people-claim-asylum-in-the-uk, (2025, Accessed 7 July 2025).

Santoso

Asfia

SKBM

Mello

, et al. HIV prevalence ratio of international migrants compared to their native-born counterparts: a systematic review and meta-analysis. eClinicalMedicine 2022; 53: 101661. PMID: 36147629; PMCID: PMC9486043.

Shiferaw

Martin

Dean

, et al. Systematic review exploring the burden of sexually transmissible infections and bloodborne viruses in refugees and asylum seekers: insights to inform policy and practice. Sex Transm Infect 2025; 101: 325–336.

Stirling-Cameron

Almukhaini

Dol

, et al. Access and use of sexual and reproductive health services among asylum-seeking and refugee women in high income countries: a scoping review. PLoS One 2024; 19: e0312746. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312746

Davidson

Hammarberg

Romero

, et al. Access to preventive sexual and reproductive health care for women from refugee-like backgrounds: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2022; 22: 403.

Taha

Durham

Reid

. Communicable diseases prevalence among refugees and asylum seekers: systematic review and meta-analysis. Infect Dis Rep 2023; 15: 188–203.

Cooper

Immigration System Statistics year ending March 2025. Regional and local authority data – immigration groups. Home Office. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6825e438a60aeba5ab34e046/regional-and-local-authority-dataset-mar-2025.xlsx (2025 Accessed 18 July 2025).

Stuge

Barton

Stiebahl

. Asylum statistics. SN01403. House of Commons Library. Available at: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01403/SN01403.pdf (2025, Accessed 21 July 2025).

10.

O’Neill

On hold, the lived experiences of Asylum Seekers in Hounslow’s contingency hotels. London borough of Hounslow, UK, 2023. Available at: https://www.adph.org.uk/networks/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/APHR_on_hold__web___final__accessible-1.pdf (2023, Accessed 21 July 2025)

11.

UK Health Security

Agency.

National STI surveillance data 2023: Table 3. UKHSA. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-annual-data-tables (2024, Accessed 14 December 2024).

12.

Gov.uk . How many people do we grant protection to? GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2023/how-many-people-do-we-grant-protection-to (2023, Accessed 07 July 2025).

13.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) . Crime in England and Wales: year ending december 2023. UK: ONS. Available from: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingdecember2023#cite-this-statistical-bulletin (2024, Accessed 18 December 2024)

14.

UK Health Security

Agency.

Tracking the syphilis epidemic in England: 2013 to 2023. UKHSA. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tracking-the-syphilis-epidemic-in-england/tracking-the-syphilis-epidemic-in-england-2013-to-2023#overview-of-syphilis-epidemiology-in-england (2024, Accessed 2024 December 16.)

15.

UK Health Security Agency . Fingertips Public Health Profiles HIV Diagnosed Prevalence Rate. Available at: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/HIV#page/4/gid/1/pat/159/par/K02000001/ati/15/are/E92000001/iid/93786/age/1/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1, (2024, Accessed 22/09/2025).

16.

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Public Health Profiles . Sexual and reproductive health profiles. Available from: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/sexualhealth/data (2025, Accessed 20 December 2024)

17.

UKHSA . Sexually transmitted infections and screening for chlamydia in England: 2024 report. UKHSA. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-annual-data-tables/sexually-transmitted-infections-and-screening-for-chlamydia-in-england-2024-report, (2025, Accessed 22 September 2025).

18.

Sun

Narayanan

Vickers

et al. GRASP report: data to August 2024. London: UKHSA. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gonococcal-resistance-to-antimicrobials-surveillance-programme-grasp-report/grasp-report-data-to-august-2024#acknowledgements (2024, Accessed 18 December 2024).

Outcomes from sexual health outreach in asylum seekers in the London borough of Hounslow