STDs occur through contact with infected bodily fluids, usually through sexual interaction, for example, vaginal, anal or oral sex. Many STDs are non-symptomatic and are easily spread due to lack of knowledge or detection, such as HPV and HSV, which are estimated to affect 300 million and 500 million people worldwide, respectively and 240 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B globally. STDs have a profound impact on sexual and reproductive health worldwide and while many STDs have few short-term effects, the long-term effects can be devastating. For example, it is estimated that undiagnosed STDs cause 24,000 women to become infertile each year, and the HPV virus is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women (ABS, 208). Syphilis is a type of STD that in 206 affected 88 000 pregnant women, resulting in over 350 000 adverse birth outcomes, including 200 000 stillbirths and newborn deaths (ABS, 209). In conjunction, in 202, the highest gonorrhea rates were highest among adolescents and young adults, with six in 0 chlamydia and gonorrhea diagnoses are in those under 25 years of age (AYAC, 208). With one in two sexually active people will contract an SDI by age 25 (Cates JR, 2004). These world and Australian health issues are having a large impact on adolescents sexual health. STD statistics in Australia are increasing each year, since less than half of adults ages 8 to 44 have never been tested for an STD and more young people are engaging in sexual activity than ever before. A national survey by La Trobe University is carried out every six years and found that the sexual activity of Australian teenagers has increased to 27.4% for Year 0 studen
ts and 56.% for Year 2 students, from 25.8% of Year 0 students and 46.8% of Tear 2 students six years earlier. Therefore, the lack of sex education in Pacific to STDs is the primary cause for this epidemic.
With Australian societys attitudes towards young peoples sexual relationships becoming increasingly liberal, young people are at an increased risk of participating within risk taking activity. These risk-taking behaviors include unprotected sex and multiple sex partners as a result of a lack of sufficient sex education and relaxed liberalistic attitudes towards sexual relationships. Thus, placing them at a higher susceptibility to contracting an STD than any other societal group. For example, in Australia 8,588 cases of gonorrhea were detected in 205, up from 8,388 cases in 2006, the Kirby group has suggested that the increase in STD transmission is largely due to incorrect or lack of condom use and a lack of treatment seeking behaviors (Mayo Clinic, 208). A report from the Centre for Social Research in Health found 68 percent of gay and bisexual men in this age group surveyed in 203 always used condoms, compared to 47 percent in 206 (Mayo Clinic, 208). The lack of treatment seeking behaviors can also be linked to the social stigma surrounding STDs, that causes adolescents to feel abnormal and embarrassed, resulting in young people not seeking treatment due to the fear of being judged. Young people account for half of new STD cases, however only 2% were tested for STDs in the last year (CDC, 208). As a consequence, STDs are vastly spread due to lack of treatment being access, hence why more than million STD are acquired every day worldwide (WHO, 209).