Increase in STIs calls sex education into question

New figures released today reveal that almost half a million cases of sexually transmitted infections were reported last year, a 3% increase on 2008, with young people the worst affected.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) reported 482,696 cases in UK sexual health clinics in 2009, with teenagers and young adults accounting for the majority of the increase.

According to data released by the HPA, young women aged 19 and men aged between 20 and 23 are at the greatest risk of infection and of the 12,000 additional cases reported last year, over two thirds were in women under 25. The figures also revealed that re-infection is a serious issue, with at least 11% of women and 12% of men aged 16 to 19 becoming re-infected with an STI within one year of being treated for a previous one.

For the first time, the HPA has also released figures on which cities and regions have the highest rates of STIs, with the highest rates of infection being recorded in London, Brighton, Nottingham, Manchester, Blackpool and Birmingham.

The HPA's Gwenda Hughes said: "These latest figures show that poor sexual health is a serious problem among the UK's young adults and men who have sex with men."

She continued: “These figures also highlight the vulnerability of young women.  Many studies have shown that young adults are more likely to have unsafe sex and often they lack the skills and confidence to negotiate safer sex."

Justin McCracken, chief executive of the HPA, added: “These are all preventable infections and it is a cause of considerable concern that we are still seeing increases across the UK.”

Another major concern of the HPA is the increase in resistant strains of gonorrhea - with fears growing that soon the STI may be untreatable by regular antibiotics.

Despite the increase in infections, which many attribute to an increase in sex education, there have still been calls to increase sex education in schools.  Helen Jenkins from Marie Stopes International, stated: “We fear that STI rates may continue to rise without increasing access to comprehensive sex and relationships education in all British schools.”

However, many have criticized the former government’s sex education and teenage pregnancy strategy.  Last year, a leading academic and former government advisor, Professor David Paton, told a Westminster health forum that the former government’s £250 million teenage pregnancy strategy had been “absolutely disastrous”, commenting that since it began the increase in STIs had continued to rise.

Andrea Minichiello Williams of CCFON said: “These figures are yet further evidence that the former government’s sex education program, which targeted children and young people, has failed drastically. Sex education that seems to expect young people to have sex has made the situation worse rather than better.”

Source:

Health Protection Agency Report

Resources:

Family Education Trust report – ‘Too much too soon’