
Contraception Attitudes. 2007 young people were polled by YouGov, trying to find out about the attitudes towards contraception. The survey was published to be concurrent with a new sexual health campaign being launched by Public Health England.

New Partner. The survey had found some really alarming information. 47% of young people admitted to never using a condom when they have sex with a new partner.

Never Used A Condom. 59% of cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea diagnoses in the UK last year were sexually active people in between 16 and 24. And 1 in 10 of the people in that same age group said they have never used a condom ever.

Not Sure What They’re Used For. When asked about what they thought condoms were for, 58% of the young people surveyed said it was to protect from pregnancy. 29% said it was for avoiding STIs.
Hard to Talk About. According to the report many young people find that discussing sexual health with others is really difficult. 56% of men and 43% of women said they find it hard to talk about it with their friends.

Better Access. The chair of Royal College of GPs Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard found the results of the survey incredibly alarming. She said that the findings prove that something must be done to provide better access “to good, sensible, sexual health education for everyone, including contraception and the potentially terrible impact of STIs...”

Invest in Sexual and Reproductive Health. She continued, “The figures prove that we need urgent investment in sexual and reproductive health services in the community, both to protect the health of young people and to ensure progress that has been made over recent years is not reversed.”

Representation in Media. The people surveyed were asked about the representation of condoms in media. 32% stated that they had never seen one used in sex scenes in TV or films.

Too High. Gwenda Hughes is the head of STI surveillance at PHE. She said: “Rates of STIs among young people continue to be too high and it is concerning that many sexually active young people are not using condoms with new partners.”

Prevent Infection. “Six in 10 chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnoses are in those under 25 years of age, so we need to remind young people of the importance of using condoms with a new or casual partner to help prevent infection,” she added.

Return of the Syph. The UK isn’t the only country with these problems. The rising rates of STIs has come stateside. Syphilis, an STI many believed to be completely eradicated, has made a comeback in the US. The STI can cause things like blindness, dementia, and even paralysis.

Highest Number of Cases Ever Reported. The Centers for Disease Control found that there were more than 2 million new cases of Americans being diagnosed with syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia in 2016. This is the highest number of cases ever reported. Those 3 STIs and HIV must be reported to the CDC by physicians.

Disturbing Trend. The director of the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention Dr Gail Borden said in a statement, “Clearly we need to reverse this disturbing trend. The CDC cannot do this alone and we need every community in America to be aware that this risk is out there and help educate their citizens on how to avoid it.”

Factors. David Harvey, who is the executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, believes that there are a few different factors that have led to these scary numbers. "Funding cutbacks for prevention, education and healthcare programs, an on going debate about sex education for young people, with cutbacks in that arena, particularly from this administration, and a rise in social media dating apps have all contributed to the rise."

Fun AND Safe. Durex UK’s Tom Hayward said, “We want young people to know that sex can be fun and safe if you wear a condom. There is still a perception for many that condoms reduce pleasure and fun, but condoms should be a key part of positive sexual activity as they help protect against STIs.”
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