Young more at risk over sex diseases

TV licence holders, including those who access TV via a laptop, should be careful not to fall prey to a new scam, says Action Fraud HEALTH bosses in Burton and Uttoxeter have urged people to take precautions after it was revealed a young person is diagnosed with a sexually transmitted illness (STI) every four minutes.

Statistics from Public Health England (PHE) show that cases of chlamydia – a bacterial infection usually spread through sex or contact with infected genital fluids – and gonorrhoea are found in people between the ages of 15 and 24 at a rate of 15 times per hour across the country last year.

Some 144,000 cases of a sexually transmitted illness were reported during 2017 in young people.

According to PHE, the impact of contracting an STI is significant, particularly when left untreated.

Amanda Godfrey, from Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust, the authority responsible for sexual health in East Staffordshire, said: “Many STIs don’t cause symptoms so people may be unaware they are infected.

“Anyone who has had sex without a condom should consider getting tested. If you think you may have an STI it is better to know sooner rather than later.

“This can avoid problems later on, as well as the risk of passing an infection on to someone else.

“The most effective way to protect yourself again STIs is to use a condom. We offer free condoms at locations all across the region. If you see a C-Card logo anywhere, this is somewhere you can access free condoms.

“You can find out more about local sexual health services on our website, openclinic.org.uk.”

STIs can lead to long-term health issues if not identified and treated. For instance, problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility can occur if chlamydia is not treated. Dr Hamish Mohammed, a consultant STI scientist at PHE, said younger people are more susceptible than those over the age of 25. He added: “Young people are more likely to be diagnosed with an STI than people aged 25 and older. STIs present a real threat to young people, and without using condoms, young people are putting themselves and their partners at risk of getting an STI.”

Anyone who has had sex without a condom should get tested.

Amanda Godfrey