Health experts are encouraging young people to take control of their own health during National Youth Week (10-19 April).
South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) Manager for Youth Health Services Voula Kougelos said she hoped this year’s National Youth Week theme, It starts with us encouraged young people to be proactive about their health.
“Youth Health Services aim to support young people in areas such as mental and sexual health, drug and alcohol use, domestic violence, social isolation, physical activity and nutrition,” Ms Kougelos said.
“Sexual health is an important but sometime overlooked part of being a healthy young person.
“So this year we are focussing on raising awareness of sexual health, with the aim of increasing screening and treatment rates for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially chlamydia,” she said.
SWSLHD acting medical director for sexual health services Dr Brian Hughes said young people aged 15 to 24 have the highest rates of STIs in NSW with over 12,000 chlamydia notifications last year.
“People may have chlamydia without even knowing it as they often don’t experience any symptoms. However they can still pass it on, which is why it is important for anyone who has had unprotected sex to get tested for chlamydia,” Dr Hughes said.
“Undiagnosed chlamydia can lead to a number of complications including infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain in women and recurrent urethritis in men,” he said.
A mobile STI testing unit dubbed The Caddy Shack will visit various youth week events across SWSLHD to help improve awareness of early intervention, screening and treatment for chlamydia.
“The test is painless – normally just a urine sample and the treatment is a course of antibiotics – which is why this mobile screening unit is so fantastic. Young people (16 years and over) can be tested on-site at the events by simply providing a urine sample to nursing staff,” Dr Hughes said.
“Screening is confidential and young people with negative test results will be notified of via SMS within a week after testing. Young people who test positive for chlamydia will be contacted by clinic staff for follow up and treatment,” he said.
The Caddy Shack project – which is a collaboration between SWSLHD Youth Health Services, HARP Unit and Sexual Health Services – is an important part of increasing awareness of local youth health services and sexual health services available in south western Sydney.
Wollondilly: The CaddyShack stall will be at Picton Outdoor Music Festival, this Friday, April 17, 3pm-7pm, Picton Botanical Gardens.
Campbelltown: Interactive activities and sexual health nurses will be at an Oz Tag Close the Gap event also this Friday, April 17, 11.30am-3pm, Kevin Wheatley Reserve, Airds.
Bankstown: The CaddyShack stall will be at the Youth in Colour Festival at Bankstown on Friday, April 17, 12-3.30pm, Paul Keating Park.
Fairfield: The CaddyShack stall will be at the Bring it On Festival on Sunday, April 19, 12pm -4pm, Fairfield Showgrounds.
