TIMES.KY

Cayman Islands, Caribbeanand International News
Saturday, Apr 20, 2024

UK's sexual health is 'not in good shape'

Two leading sexual health charities are calling on the government to invest more in sexual health clinics and sex education in the UK.

Nearly half of all new sexually transmitted infections are in people under 25.

And there's a new STI diagnosis in England every 70 seconds.

The Terrence Higgins Trust and British Association for Sexual Health and HIV have teamed up to say more needs to be done.

Their new report claims the government has cut sexual health spending in England by 25% since 2014.


Gonorrhoea cases up by 249%

The report looked into nearly half a million STI diagnoses in 2018 and found cases of gonorrhoea were up by 249% and syphilis up by 165% in the last ten years.

Research also found that the people most affected by STIs were gay men, who accounted for 75% of all syphilis and nearly 50% of gonorrhoea diagnoses in England.

Some of the highest overall rates of STIs were reported in Black Caribbean and Black non-Caribbean/non-African populations.

The report did find some positive action had been taken - HIV prevention tools (like the drug PReP) mean there had been a 6% reduction in diagnoses from 2017-2018.


Dr Alex: 'Don't be afraid of an STI check-up'

Dr Alex George has worked in obstetrics and gynaecology and offers sexual health advice on his social media and YouTube channel.

"The important thing is to not be worried about going to an STI clinic for a check up and asking any questions you might have," he tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

"If you haven't had a check up in recent months or you've just got a new partner then please get yourself checked out."

He says that a good starting point is looking at resources online - including the sexual health charity Brook and the NHS website.


'It's right to look after your health'


One of the big talking points to come from this recent survey is the worry people have about the stigma of visiting a sexual health clinic.

"Remember the number one thing is looking after you and your body - it's your right to look after your own health," Dr Alex says.

"If you go to a sexual health clinic and see other people, remember they are there for the same reason as you so take comfort in that and focus on the fact you are looking after yourself."

When it comes to having a conversation with a new partner about using a condom he says to "remember safety first."

"Be casual about the conversation and don't over-think it. People feel like they have to have a big conversation but just stay firm and do what you want to do.

"If the person doesn't want to use a condom then you have your answer there - do what you have to do," he says.

The HPV vaccine programme was also credited for reducing cases of genital warts by 3% since 2017.

Recommendations in the report include providing local government with more funding to improve sexual health services and doing more to encourage people to get help even when they might feel there is stigma or discrimination linked with having an STI.

Jonathan McShane, chair of Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "This report shows that the nation's sexual health is not in good shape and this must be a wake up call to the Government to take action.

"It's clear to see that sexual health has been neglected for too long and has not been a priority for successive governments."

In response to the report, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

"More people than ever are now able to access sexual health services and we strongly urge people to take advantage of this free, local service if they consider themselves to be at risk.

"Our new sexual and reproductive health strategy will be published this year."

Newsletter

Related Articles

TIMES.KY
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
BBC Personalities Rebuke Accusations Amidst Scandal Involving Teen Exploitation
A Swift Disappointment: Why Is Taylor Swift Bypassing Canada on Her Global Tour?
Historic Moment: Edgars Rinkevics, EU's First Openly Gay Head of State, Takes Office as Latvia's President
Bye bye democracy, human rights, freedom: French Cops Can Now Secretly Activate Phone Cameras, Microphones And GPS To Spy On Citizens
The Poor Man With Money, Mark Zuckerberg, Unveils Twitter Replica with Heavy-Handed Censorship: A New Low in Innovation?
Unilever Plummets in a $2.5 Billion Free Fall, to begin with: A Reckoning for Misuse of Corporate Power Against National Interest
Beyond the Blame Game: The Need for Nuanced Perspectives on America's Complex Reality
Twitter Targets Meta: A Tangle of Trade Secrets and Copycat Culture
The Double-Edged Sword of AI: AI is linked to layoffs in industry that created it
US Sanctions on China's Chip Industry Backfire, Prompting Self-Inflicted Blowback
Meta Copy Twitter with New App, Threads
The New French Revolution
BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Application Refiled, Naming Coinbase as ‘Surveillance-Sharing’ Partner
×