Shocking rise in sex diseases across city

SOUTHAMPTON has one of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections in the country, new figures have revealed.

Southampton City Primary Care Trust (PCT) comes in the top 20 of all local health authorities across the UK, with 3,536 cases of STIs diagnosed in 2009, per 100,000 people.

The city was highlighted as one of the worst for infection rates by the Health Protection Agency, which has for the first time been able to provide figures for individual PCTs.

Health bosses in the city have admitted more work needs to be done to educate younger people about the dangers of STIs but say more infections were being reported due to better sexual health services.

Figures across Hampshire under the South Central Strategic Health Authority revealed that thousands more people are being diagnosed, with cases soaring by 35 per cent since 2000.

Those most at risk continue to be 15 to 24-year-olds who are repeatedly ignoring warnings about having unprotected sex.

Last year the South Central SHA saw 28,494 new cases reported in the region, an increase of 35 per cent in the last nine years.

The number of those suffering from four of the five most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has continued to climb, with syphilis seeing the biggest increase of 419 per cent over the same period.

Kathryn Rowles, director of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight health protection unit, said: “These latest health figures show that poor sexual health continues to be a serious problem among young adults in the south east.

“Re-infection is also a worrying issue. The numbers we’re seeing in teenagers are of particular concern as this suggests teenagers are repeatedly putting their own, as well as others’, long-term health at risk from STIs.

“It is crucial that young people continue to be exposed to messages about safe sex, condom wearing and the importance of getting checked if they have unprotected sex.”

The only success story for the south was the battle against gonorrhoea, which saw the number of cases fall by 24 per cent since 2000.

Dr Andrew Mortimore, public health director for NHS Southampton City, said: “We recognise from the figures that although progress has been made in Southampton, it is clear that there is still a lot of work to do to reduce the number of sexually transmitted infections in the city.

“We are picking up on more infections through out improved range of sexual health services but it is crucial for people to change their behaviour and attitudes to sex and relationships and take greater responsibility for the sake of their health and wellbeing, and of others.”

SOUTHAMPTON’S RISE IN STIs

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