In support of renewed public health efforts to control the recent outbreaks of syphilis in Canadian cities, NCCID brought together public health practitioners from several health regions, community-based organizations, and researchers September 29-30, 2014 in Winnipeg Manitoba. The goal was to provide an opportunity to share information and ideas from other jurisdictions on innovative, integrative and community-informed public health strategies with demonstrated or promising effectiveness in reducing the burden of syphilis, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM).
Specific objectives included:
- Share current knowledge on syphilis outbreaks, highlighting what we know about the burden of syphilis and dynamics of transmission among MSM;
- Share evidence-based, practice-based, and client-centred knowledge that can contribute to an understanding of features of effective public health interventions for MSM;
- Identify opportunities to bridge disease-specific silos and sectors, to build more upstream, integrated and community-informed approaches to syphilis.
- Strategize on ways to advance innovative strategies to control syphilis among MSM.
Along with presentations, participants discussed relevant lessons and the implications for forward thinking about strategies and interventions at local, regional and national levels.
Related publications
- Forward Thinking on Syphilis: An Information Exchange on Innovative Approaches to Syphilis, Focused on MSM. (Proceedings of the September 2014 Winnipeg meeting)
- Effectiveness of interventions for syphilis prevention and control in MSM: A summary of published research findings