Council to seek comment on condoms
Condom vending machines may be installed in some public toilet facilities in the shire.
Baw Baw Shire has an opportunity to participate in a 12 month trial program but it will seek community comment before committing to the program.
Gippsland Women’s Health, as a partner of the Baw Baw Public Health and Wellbeing Plan, has invited council to participate in a condom vending machine project which aims to increase access to condoms, particularly for young people.
A report to council said the municipality had higher rates of sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies than the Victorian averages.
Officers said 2012 statistics showed births to women aged 15 to 19 years in Baw Baw Shire was higher than the Victorian average, at a rate of 15.4 births per 1000 young women.
The report also said between 2012 and 2014, Baw Baw Shire had the highest standardised notified cases of chlamydia in Gippsland and the rate of chlamydia, particularly in 15 to 19 year-olds was higher than the rates for Gippsland and Victoria.
“Condoms are the most effective way to reduce the risk of contracting an STI and avoiding pregnancy during sex.
“This is not the first attempt to promote sexual health in Gippsland.
“An innovative health promotion project, delivered by Headspace Central West Gippsland between 2012 and 2013, aimed to inform young people about chlamydia, however failed to engage young people on the topic,” the report said.
A second project was then undertaken last year to understand why communication about sexual health was so restricted in Gippsland. Fifteen young people in Baw Baw were interviewed and results showed:
Fear was a significant factor when it came to purchasing condoms
Most young people described discomfort associated with being seen to want or need a condom; and,
Some described the advantage of being able to purchase only one or two condoms at a vending machine as being more affordable.
The report said it was also identified that access to condoms in rural areas posed a challenge for many young people, particularly the stigma associated with purchasing condoms where everyone knows everyone.
Funding is available from the Department of Health and Human Services to instal condom vending machines in the accessible cubicle of public toilets throughout the shire.
The contribution from DHHS and Gippsland Women’s Health would be the machines, the initial stock (1000 condoms per machine) and development and printing of social marketing material targeted at young people.
Council would be required to instal the machines, manage the stock and maintain the machines for a one year pilot period.
Bass Coast Shire is the most recent council to take up the project.
Cr Mikaela Power said this was part of a pilot program and would be fully funded.
She said the condom vending machines would be installed in some public toilets.
Cr Power said there was a high rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the shire so this was a good move.
“There is also evidence that shows people of a vulnerable age are reluctant to purchase condoms in stores,” she said.
Cr Peter Kostos said this could be a “fairly emotive” issue.
Cr Kostos said he wanted community members to be fully aware that this would run at no cost to council for the first 12 months but after that, there would be a cost to the shire.
“It’s important the community looks at the potential cost to ratepayers as well as the health issues,” he said.