FED:Young in the dark about sexual health

AAP General News (Australia)
08-18-2011
FED:Young in the dark about sexual health

EDS: Not for use before 0100 AEST Thursday, August 18

SYDNEY, Aug 18 AAP - Young Australians are showing worrying signs of ignorance about
their sexual health.

A survey of more than 1000 18 to 35-year-olds found many were in the dark about Pap
smears, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and how the contraceptive pill works.

One in 10 men believed the pill protected a woman against STIs such as gonorrhoea and
chlamydia, while one in five did not know STIs could affect their fertility.

Nearly half of all those surveyed wrongly believed Pap smears for cervical cancer could
also pick up STIs.

The survey, carried out in July for private health insurer Bupa, also found four in
10 young Australians did not know when a woman was most likely to fall pregnant.

"The level of misinformation about sexual health should be a concern, particularly
given recent figures which show the incidence of STIs has been increasing again in Australia,"

Bupa's head of clinical advisory Dr Stan Goldstein said.

AAP bt/jhp

KEYWORD: SEX (EMBARGOED)

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