About the Study

We're working to close the cancer prevention gap for GBMSM communities aged 35 and over.
 
Anal cancer affects gay, bisexual, queer men and non-binary people who have sex with men (GBMSM) at rates 20-40 times higher than the general population. While HPV vaccination is recommended for adult GBMSM, it's not currently funded in Australia, creating a significant health inequity.

Our Goal: To provide critical evidence about whether HPV vaccination helps prevent anal cancer in GBMSM aged over 35, even if they may have already been exposed to HPV. This research will inform policy decisions about funding vaccination for adult GBMSM and help design effective prevention programs.

This research is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) through the Targeted Call for Research: Anal Cancer 2025 grant scheme.

Why This Research Matters

 

• 90% of anal cancers are caused by HPV infection

• GBMSM have significantly higher risk but face barriers to prevention

• Evidence is limited for vaccination in people who may already have HPV exposure

• Current Australian guidelines recommend but don't fund vaccination for adult GBMSM

What We're Doing

This 3-year research project (2025-2028) involves three key components:

1. Cross-Sectional Study (Perth & Sydney)

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• ​Comparing HPV prevalence between vaccinated and unvaccinated GBMSM

• Testing self-sampling methods for community-based screening

• Recruiting 1,800 participants across both cities

 

​​2. Qualitative Research

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• In-depth interviews with GBMSM about their experiences and barriers to care

• Discussions with healthcare providers and stakeholders

• Understanding what helps and hinders prevention efforts

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3. Knowledge Translation

 

• Developing policy recommendations for funded vaccination

• Creating clinical guidelines for healthcare providers

• Producing community resources in multiple languages

• Hosting stakeholder forums to share findings

Who Can Participate?

We will be looking for participants who are:

• Gay, bisexual, queer men or non-binary people who have sex with men

• Aged 35 years or older

• Living in Perth or Sydney

• Interested in contributing to research that could improve health outcomes for our communities

What's Involved?

 

• A simple self-collected anal swab test

• A brief questionnaire about health and experiences

• Compensation provided for your time

• Optional participation in follow-up interviews

Our Research Team

Chief Investigators: 

• A/Prof Jonathan Hallett (CERIPH, Curtin University) - Project Lead

• A/Prof Jenny McCloskey (Royal Perth Hospital)

• Dr Daniel Vujcich (WA AIDS Council)

• Dr Anthony Smith (Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW)

• Dr Renee Carey (CERIPH, Curtin University) 

• Prof Sharyn Burns (CERIPH, Curtin University)

• Prof Sepehr Tabrizi (UWA)

Associate Investigators:

• Professor Mary Poynten (Kirby Institute, UNSW)

• Jakob James

• Mark Reid

• Scott Walsberger (ACON)

• Melissa Ledger (Cancer Council WA)

• Amy Harrison (Epidemiology Directorate, Department of Health)​​

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