United Kingdom: Young "Still Unaware" of STI Risk

The National AIDS Trust used the kickoff of National Condom Week in the United Kingdom to call for "urgent improvements" in sex education. The trust cited the results of a new survey as proof that young people "do not see condom use as a way of protecting their sexual health."

The trust commissioned the Ipsos/MORI survey, which involved 2,048 people age 15 and over. The results indicated that among all age groups, knowledge of how HIV is spread had fallen dramatically in the past five years. According to the findings:

• Among women, 53 percent said they would always use a condom with a new sex partner; 39 percent of men said so.
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• Among respondents ages 15-24, 55 percent said they would always use a condom with a new sex partner; 22 percent said they would "usually" do so; 12 percent said the would do so "sometimes."

• Other than those over 55, those ages 15-24 were the least aware of the protection condoms offer against STDs.

• Those ages 15-24 knew the least about the dangers of sharing syringes.

"Young people need all the information about sex, not just some of it," said Lisa Power, head of policy at Terrence Higgins Trust. Sex education in schools must "move beyond just the biological aspects," she said.

"Too many young people fail to realize that using a condom with a new sexual partner is a vital protection, not only against pregnancy but also against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections," said Debora Jack, executive director of the trust.

Back to other news for May 9, 2006