How can sexual healthcare digital systems, and organisational data practices be more inclusive by design for people with multiple sexual partners?

Abstract

Background: The Upcoming requirements of the National Digital Health Capability Action Plan will require healthcare digital and data practices to be responsive to ever-changing health needs of the Australian public. While great effort has been made in recent years to design more inclusive healthcare platforms and data practices, particularly for the inclusion of diverse gender and sexuality data, there remains a gap in consideration of sexual partnership types. Current data practices fail to consider the sexual practices of people in negotiated non-monogamous relationships as an indicator for sexual health clinical decision-making.   Aims: This study explores the capacity of current healthcare data practices to account for negotiated non-monogamous relationship type to inform sexual health service provision.   Methods: This exploratory study involved semi-structured interviews with people in negotiated non-monogamous relationships to discuss their experiences of representation in sexual healthcare interactions. Situational vignettes of hypothetical healthcare scenarios were also discussed to identify gaps in current data practices and service provision.   Results: Participants were strategic about the disclosure of their partnership types to guide clinical outcomes towards their needs. There was a general consensus that healthcare providers had limited knowledge of multi-partner relationships, and such information was applied to clinical decision-making through a risk-based approach.   Conclusions: While Australian healthcare data practices are showing a willingness to account for a more diverse range of identities to inform clinical decision-making, consideration of relationship types outside of normative monogamous binaries remains over-looked.