The NSW State Government has issued a survey asking people how many sexual partners they’ve had in a new campaign to fight sexually transmitted disease.
The survey is designed to get people thinking about how many partners they’ve had and to promote STD testing, along with a $1.5 million advertising campaign.
The theme of the campaign, “sleeping with one is sleeping with many”, was a call for young people to use condoms, have regular STD tests and seek treatment if they contract a Sexuallty Transmissable Infection (STI).
The aim of the campaign is to arrest the increasing number of sexually transmitted infections.
Almost 17,000 people tested positive for Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV in NSW last year, but health authorities believe that the true figure could be much higher as many people with STI’s show no symptoms.
Statistics show that the number of infections in the last eight years has risen from 1695 in 2000 to 7194 in 2008.
Health Minister John Della Bosca strongly encouraged young people to have regular testing for STI’s.
“See your doctor for an STI check every time you change regular partners.”
The “Get Tested, Play Safe” campaign was overseen by an expert advisory committee which included young people.
Thanks to the Sydney Morning Herald for the above quotes. For more information on this article visit their website.