Overview
This course examines the epidemiology, clinical application, and public health evaluation of STI screening and diagnostic systems. Students investigate symptom-based and routine screening, targeted and universal strategies, eligibility criteria, screening intervals, risk assessment, specimen collection, laboratory workflows, point-of-care testing, nucleic acid amplification tests, culture, serology, antigen detection, microscopy, and emerging diagnostic technologies.
Emphasis is placed on diagnostic performance, including sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratios, reference standards, measurement error, false-positive and false-negative results, window periods, confirmatory testing, and indeterminate findings. Applications include asymptomatic infection, prenatal screening, HIV testing, extragenital testing, partner testing, antimicrobial resistance, test-to-treatment pathways, reinfection, and linkage to care.
Students evaluate screening programs according to clinical benefit, potential harm, cost, feasibility, and equity across populations and settings. Practical learning develops competence in test interpretation, screening algorithm design, diagnostic study appraisal, policy comparison, referral and follow-up planning, and confidential, empathetic communication of results.
Learning Outcomes
- Evaluate STI screening strategies against clinical, epidemiological, operational, economic, and equity objectives.
- Select diagnostic tests and testing pathways appropriate to specified clinical and public health objectives.
- Calculate and interpret sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratios, and related measures of diagnostic performance.
- Explain how disease prevalence, spectrum effects, and window periods influence test interpretation and predictive value.
- Critique screening recommendations, diagnostic studies, laboratory workflows, and comparative screening policies.
- Identify sources of diagnostic bias, measurement error, misclassification, and uncertainty in screening and evaluation studies.
- Design referral, confirmatory testing, treatment, partner notification, reinfection prevention, and linkage-to-care pathways.
- Interpret results from molecular, culture-based, serological, antigen, microscopic, and point-of-care tests, including indeterminate findings.
- Communicate screening and diagnostic results confidentially, accurately, and empathetically to patients, partners, and relevant health services.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Lab | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Fortnightly | All semester |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Diagnostic epidemiology problem set | 15.00% |
| Deliverable | Screening algorithm design project | 20.00% |
| Test | Practical test interpretation assessment | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Diagnostic study appraisal | 15.00% |
| Exam | Final examination | 30.00% |
Prerequisites
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
