Study data from University of California update knowledge of life sciences.

According to a study from the United States, "Northeastern British Columbia is undergoing rapid in-migration of young, primarily male workers in response to the ''boom'' in the oil/gas industries. Accompanying the boom is a rise in Chlamydia rates among youth, which exceed the provincial average by 22%."

"STI testing reduces the disease burden, contributing to STI prevention. 1) To document youths' perceptions regarding the socio-cultural and structural forces that affect young oil/gas workers' access to STI testing; 2) to gather service providers' perspectives on sexual health service delivery for workers; and 3) to develop recommendations to improve the accessibility of STI testing. We conducted ethnographic fieldwork (8 weeks) in a remote oil/gas community, including in-depth interviews with 25 young people (ages 15-25) and 14 health and social service providers. Participants identified limited opportunities to access testing, geographic isolation, and 'rigger' culture as three key categories inhibiting STI testing among oil/gas workers. These results suggest the need for place-based approaches to STI control," wrote S.M. Goldenberg and colleagues, University of California (see also Life Sciences).

The researchers concluded: "Innovative outreach strategies are suggested to ...