Sexual Health Sheffield Launches STI Testing Week

With the run up to Valentine’s Day focusing attention on sex and relationships, staff from Sexual Health Sheffield will be visiting colleges, universities and other settings across the city to offer free chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing whilst raising awareness of sexual health issues amongst young people.

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK and can be passed on from one person to another through unprotected sex (sex without a condom).

Young people aged 15-24 experience the highest rates of STIs in England and Wales. In 2014, over 200 thousand people tested positive for Chlamydia in England and Wales with 64% of these people being aged under 25 years old.

Dr Claire Dewsnap, Clinical Lead for Sexual Health Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Most people who have a chlamydia infection don’t notice any symptoms, so don't know they have it. Research has suggested that 50% of men and 70-80% of women don't get symptoms at all. So, if you are sexually active it’s really important to check for Chlamydia, as if left untreated, it can cause serious long term health problems including infertility.”

STI Testing Week launched in run up to Valentine's Day

The series of events begins on the 9th February where the Sexual Health Sheffield team will be at Sheffield College throughout the day – offering free condoms, free chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing, and a range of information and resources for college students. Further events are planned in other colleges and universities throughout February.

Steve Slack, Sexual Health Manager at Sexual Health Sheffield, said: “Following on from our successful HIV testing week last year we decided to organise a series of events highlighting the need to consider testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Many people have Chlamydia but are unaware of it and may not realise that if it is left untreated it can cause health complications. Many people have already opted to be tested and this is the opportunity for those who have not done so yet to get a test.”
For more information about Sexual Health Services in Sheffield visit www.sheffieldsexualhealth.nhs.uk
 


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