Year started: 2019

Ends: 30 September 2022

SHIFT (Sexual Health In the over ForTy-fives) is part of the Interreg 2Seas Programme, receiving funding from the European Regional Development Fund. Running from 2019 to 2022, the project involves partners from across the “2Seas” region: UK, The Netherlands, and Belgium. The objective of SHIFT is to empower people aged over 45 to participate in sexual health services, and improve their sexual health and wellbeing. There is an additional focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged groups across the 2Seas region. As the SHIFT Evaluation Partner, the University of Chichester has thus far carried out both qualitative and quantitative Needs Assessments on the awareness, attitudes and needs relating to sexual health and wellbeing among adults over the age of 45 in the 2Seas region. Additionally, they will be carrying out a final evaluation of the project in 2022.

Objectives

The project has 4 main objectives relating to sexual health for the target population: Increased Knowledge, Increased Awareness, Improved Access, Decreased Stigma. The objective of the project is to empower people aged over 45 to participate in sexual health services & improve their sexual health & wellbeing, with an additional and specifically adapted focus on socio-economically disadvantaged groups across the 2Seas area. The empowerment will avoid assumptions by using insight gathering & testing existing evidence. In co-creating a service redesign, the healthcare systems currently in place will be adapted to provide services that are properly suited to these groups. Consequently, SHIFT will improve awareness in the target groups and access to sexual health services, therefore increasing wellbeing, testing for STIs and HIV & avoidance of undiagnosed communicable STIs & HIV amongst the over 45s and socio-economically disadvantaged groups. This will lead to improving the quality of life of people aged over 45 (with specific focus on vulnerable groups) & a decrease in health inequalities.

Scope

The project will target three specific groups (within the 2 Seas area of Europe): 1. People over the age of 45 2. People over the age of 45 who are socio-economically disadvantaged 3. Sexual Health Healthcare professionals and the wider workforce