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Safe Sex No Regrets Campaign Essay

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Northern Territory Government– Safe Sex, No Regrets Media Campaign

Australia has been experiencing increased rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) over the past ten years as a direct result of unsafe sex practises (ABS- Australian Social Trends, Jun 2012). These infections are some of the most common illnesses worldwide affecting the health and wellbeing of people infected, particularily women in regards to their fertility (Gerbase, Rowley, heymann et, al 1998). Northern Territory Health (2008) along with the other Australian states have identified that the age group at being most at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections is people aged between 15 and 29. This paper will establish whether a positive …show more content…

The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (2010) received reports that the predominant sexually transmissible infections during 2010 were Chlamydia and syphilis. It has been established that the 15 to 29 year age group have the highest rates of infection and this is continually increasing (Wilkins & Mak 2005). Research carried out by Stancombe Research & Planning (2008) have confirmed that people falling into this age group not only show higher rates of infection of STIs but also have limited knowledge of correct safe sex practice. These findings brought to the forefront that the awareness of STIs was extremely low, particularly amongst the younger population bringing to attention that education about the harm associated with STIs was and is crucial, along with informed structural strategies that help reduce the risks, if changing beliefs and attitudes in regards to improved sexual health are to be achieved.
Undiagnosed and untreated sexually transmissible infections (STIs) have negative health outcomes for both individuals involved and the community (Strobel & Ward 2012). Higher costs to medical services are a direct result from complications such as infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and cervical cancer caused by STIs. Risks need to be brought to the wider communities attention and messages that STIs contribute to the ‘mortality statistics through deaths associated with AIDS,

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