MINISTERS MUST LOOK AT WHY MESSAGE ON SAFE SEX ISN'T GETTING ACROSS - FINNIE

Written by Ross Finnie on Tue 24th Nov 2009

Commenting on the publication of the latest sexual health information for Scotland, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Ross Finnie MSP said:

"Ministers and health professionals must look at why the message on safe sex still isn't getting across to our young people. Being open and honest about the risks of unprotected sex is vital if we are to reduce the number of infections.

"It is also clear that the link between deprivation and teenage pregnancy and abortion rates remains strong.

"Young women in our deprived areas are eight times as likely to become pregnant and twice as likely to have an abortion as those from more affluent areas.

"Sexual education must focus on girls in our most disadvantaged areas. They should know that abortion is not an alternative to contraception."

Ends.

Notes to Editors:

The following are some of the key findings of today's ISD statistics:

Genital Herpes: Over the past five years the number of new diagnoses in GUM clinics has risen by almost one third (28%). Of all new diagnoses of genital herpes in 2008, half (51%) of those in women and one third (33%) of those in men were made in those aged less than 25.

Infectious Syphilis: In 2008, 264 infectious cases were recorded at GUM clinics; this exceeds the number of cases reported for 2007 (249).

Genital Warts: In 2008, 7360 new cases were diagnosed; the annual number of new diagnoses has increased by 37% over the past ten years. In 2008, two-thirds of new diagnoses of genital warts in women and more than two thirds in men were in those aged 15-24.