Advice for young holiday-makers during Sexual Health Week

During this week’s Sexual Health Week (1-7 August) the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) is advising young people, particularly those going on holiday, not to put their sexual health at risk and to practice safer sex.

The most recent figures for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Northern Ireland show that new cases of infectious syphilis have increased almost three-fold (from 15 to 42) and uncomplicated chlamydia by 11% (from 1,308 to 1,446) between 2003 and 2004, while new cases of uncomplicated gonorrhoea, genital herpes and genital warts have fallen. New cases of HIV infection have increased by 60% (from 33 to 53) between 2003 and 2004.¹

The HPA’s sexual health information campaign aimed at 18-30 year olds is currently displaying three out of a series of ten hard-hitting posters which can be found in pubs, clubs and student unions across Northern Ireland. The poster campaign provides information about safer sex and STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV. The posters are supported by sexual health leaflets which can be downloaded from the HPA website: www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/work/Sexualhealth/publications.htm.

The HPA advises anyone who is concerned about their sexual health to make an appointment with their GP or contact their local Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) Clinic.

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Notes to the editors
Sexual Health Week, organised by the fpa, runs from 1-7 August 2005. This year it will focus on the economics of sexual health – www.fpa.org.uk.

1. Source: Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (NI).