Sexual Health Week (September 14-20) is raising awareness of the increase in some common STIs across England in the past two years.
Latest data provided from Public Health England shows;
- In 2019, there were 468,342 diagnoses of STIs made in England, a 5% increase since 2018
- There were 70,936 diagnoses of gonorrhoea reported in 2019, a 26% increase since 2018 and the largest annual number on record
- There were 7,982 diagnoses of syphilis reported in 2019, a 10% increase since 2018
- There were 149 diagnoses of first episode genital warts in 15 to 17 year old girls in 2019, a 23% decrease relative to 2018, and 90 diagnoses of first episode genital warts in same aged heterosexual boys, an 11% decrease relative to 2018
- The impact of STIs remains greatest in young heterosexuals 15 to 24 years; black ethnic minorities; and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM).
The South Tyneside Sexual Health service supports a number of initiatives to address this inequality in poor sexual health.
They include free condoms and STI testing which can be ordered online for home delivery in South Tyneside.
The new digital online home testing kit offers screening for infections such as HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea and is available to order 24 hours a day from the South Tyneside Sexual Health website.
This online offer is a quick way to test, very discreet and is completely confidential, with home testing kits delivered in plain packaged envelopes.
The home test involves providing a blood sample (if a person chooses to be tested for HIV and syphilis) or a urine or swab sample for chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing.
Home testing kits are delivered complete with instructions, a freepost return envelope and are posted back to us by standard Royal Mail
This online test offer is available for both males and females over the age of 16. Please visit our Sexual Health website to order.
Order condom kits direct here.
More advice on information on sexual health for young people can be found on the Young Healthwatch area of our website.
