Sexual Health

Diagnoses of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) remain high across England (420,000 cases in 2016), particularly among young people and in 2016, the majority (51%) of new STI diagnosis were in young adults aged 15-24. These infections are not without potential health risks, as leaving an STI untreated can cause serious health issues such as pelvic inflammatory disease, swollen or painful testicles, arthritis, infertility and even meningitis.

As many cases of STIs have no symptoms, including 7 in 10 cases of chlamydia, the potential risk of these going undiagnosed is high so there is a real need to practice safe sex and reduce the spread of STIs, particularly in young people aged 16-24.

To find out more about STIs and condom use, visit www.nhs.uk/protect-against-stis-use-a-condom