By Ashleigh Fielding | posted on September 7, 2018
YOUTH seeking advice on their sexual health can simply ‘ask for Allison’ when calling up Headspace Albany from tomorrow as part of a new initiative aimed at increasing young people’s
awareness about sexually transmitted infections.
Headspace Albany manager Andrew Wenzel said ‘Sexy Fridays’ with Nurse Allison will take place every second Friday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm and will “fill a need for easy and confidential prevention, testing and treating” in young people.
He said it will also help reduce the stigma around getting tested for STIs.
“Young people often worry about getting a blood test or having someone poke and prod them, but, it’s really easy; you just wee in a jar,” Mr Wenzel said.
He said there had been more than 70,000 new cases of chlamydia diagnosed in 2016 nationwide and three quarters of these were in young people aged 15 to 29.
Mr Wenzel also said the rates of gonorrhoea infection in young people from rural and remote areas, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, were higher than youth from the city.
“While we know that mental health issues are the most common health problem experienced by young people, the increasing rates of STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea are growing
at an alarming rate, for conditions that are easily and completely preventable,” he said.
“Although lots of young people are aware of the importance of contraception, there seems to be a bit of disconnect when it comes to STIs and how to prevent them.”
Nurse Allison Key said a generation ago, people could have unprotected sex with four or five different partners before being at risk of contracting an STI.
Now, she says, people are at risk after having unprotected sex just once.
“We recommend people get screened yearly, and when they have a change of sexual partner,” Ms Key said.
“Around 80 per cent of people with chlamydia don’t know they have it, as there are no symptoms, and if it’s left untreated, it can cause infertility in both men and women.”
The ‘Sexy Fridays’ service will be via appointment or walk-in and will be free or billed through Medicare – this means no out-of-pocket expenses.
All youth aged 12 to 25 are welcome to utilise the service and can talk about respectful relationships, sex education and contraception as well as STI screenings with Nurse Allison.
To book a session, call Headspace Albany on 9842 9871 and ask to see Allison.
