Make condoms more widely available, councils urged

https://type2diabetestreatment.net/uncategorized/make-condoms-more-widely-available-councils-urged/
Make condoms more widely available, councils urged Target people at high risk of a sexually transmitted infection, says NICE

Caroline White

Thursday, 06 April 2017

Add to PDP Tracker Print

Councils and other commissioners should make condoms more freely available to those at greatest risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), says the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in public health guidance issued today.

These could be distributed through pharmacies, sexual health charities, and universities, suggests the guidance, which recommends that any such schemes should include teaching 16-18 year olds how to use condoms properly.

Young people should also be given information about emergency contraception and about preventive treatment (post exposure prophylaxis) if they have potentially been exposed to HIV, so that they know what to do in the event of a condom failure, it says.

But the age and circumstances of the young person must always be taken into account and agreement will need to be reached as to how that person will use the scheme, it recommends.

Christine Carson programme director of the centre for guidelines at NICE said that although the number of STIs being diagnosed had fallen, “there have been large, disproportionate increases among specific groups, such as young people aged 16-24 and men who have sex with men.”

Condoms were the best way of curbing the onward transmission of STIs. “If local authorities and other commissioners can work together to improve condom availability and use amongst people at high risk we could significantly reduce the rates of STIs,” she insisted.

Susan Otiti, assistant director of public health at Haringey Council and a topic expert on the guideline committee, added: “Local authority sexual health budgets are under great pressure, and condom distribution schemes are a cheap and effective way to tackle rising STI rates.”

Dr Anthony Nardone, sexual health promotion lead at Public Health England said the guidelines provided the evidence local authorities and other organisations needed to consider how best to set up schemes to meet the needs of their local populations.

Some 435,000 STIs were diagnosed in England in 2015, and rates of syphilis and gonorrhoea rose by 75% and 53%, respectively, between 2012 and 2015.

While most diagnoses of chlamydia and genital warts were among 15-24 year olds, most diagnoses of gonorrhoea and syphilis were among gay/bisexual men.

Treating STIs costs the NHS an estimated £620 million a year, according to the Family Planning Association.

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Type 2 Diabetes Diet
Diabetes Destroyer Reviews
Original Article
#Uncategorized
#obesity_help