Syphilis Point of Care Rapid Test and Immediate Treatment Evaluation (SPRITE) study: a mixed-methods implementation science research protocol of eight public health units in Ontario, Canada
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Patrick O'Byrne,
Melissa Richard-Greenblatt,
Michael Evans,
Jennifer Adams,
Brad Stoner,
Patrick O’Byrne,
Sahar Saeed,
Vanessa Tran,
Lucy Mackrell,
Megan Carter,
Maggie Hoover,
Natasha Larkin,
Felicia Maria G Magpantay,
Sicheng Zhao,
Bradley Stoner,
Kira Mandryk,
Kandace Belanger,
Jennifer Burbidge,
Gilles Charette,
Gabrielle Deschenes,
Duy A Dinh,
Amanda Featherstone,
Farhan Khandakar,
Jorge Martinez-Cajas,
Nicole Szumlanski,
Stephanie Vance,
Jessica Burnside,
Clare Mak,
Erin Stienstra,
Patrick Sanderson,
Eric Geen,
Nancy McGeachy,
Stephanie McFaul,
Susan LaBrie,
Brooke Rasinho,
Christine Brannan,
Michelle Street,
Melanie St John,
Casey Cassan,
Sandra Dereski,
Taylor Labadie,
Mary France,
Lynn Leggett Caron-Bruneau
Affiliations
Patrick O'Byrne
5 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Melissa Richard-Greenblatt
9 Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Michael Evans
Jennifer Adams
Brad Stoner
Patrick O’Byrne
Sahar Saeed
1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Vanessa Tran
9 Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lucy Mackrell
1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Megan Carter
1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Maggie Hoover
3 Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Natasha Larkin
3 Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Felicia Maria G Magpantay
8 Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Sicheng Zhao
8 Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Bradley Stoner
1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Kira Mandryk
6 Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Kandace Belanger
10 Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Jennifer Burbidge
9 Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Gilles Charette
11 Trellis HIV and Community Care, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Gabrielle Deschenes
12 Leeds Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit, Brockville, Ontario, Canada
Duy A Dinh
13 Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Amanda Featherstone
1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Farhan Khandakar
1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Jorge Martinez-Cajas
3 Queen`s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Nicole Szumlanski
4 Kingston Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Stephanie Vance
16 Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Introduction Urgent, tailored and equitable action is needed to address the alarming rise in syphilis rates in Canada. In the last decade, the rates of infectious syphilis have increased by 345% in Ontario, Canada. Underserved populations—people who use drugs, un(der)housed individuals and those living in rural and remote areas—face unique social and healthcare challenges that increase their vulnerability to syphilis infections and hinder their access to timely diagnosis and treatment. This study assesses the real-world implementation and effectiveness of using a recently approved syphilis point-of-care test in conjunction with public health outreach to break barriers and bring services to the population at the highest risk.Methods and analysis The Syphilis Rapid Point-of-Care Testing and Immediate Treatment Evaluation (SPRITE) study includes eight public health units in Ontario, Canada. Implementation and evaluation of this rapid ‘test and treat’ outreach model of care will be assessed using the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM)/Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework, following a community-based participatory approach. Network models will be used to estimate the population-level impact of implementing this model of care to curb transmission. Knowledge mobilisation will be assessed using the Reciprocity, Externalities, Access, and Partnership (REAP) Self-Assessment Model.Ethics and dissemination The SPRITE study was approved by the Queen’s University Research Ethics Board (REB) and is to be conducted in accordance with the Canadian Tri-Council Policy Statement V.2 and the latest Seoul revision of the Declaration of Helsinki. Knowledge generated from this study will be mobilised through community-based organisations and the broader public health community.
