Sexually Transmitted Infections Campaign

The Australian Government has launched a national campaign that aims to reduce the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among Australians, especially young people and Indigenous people. The campaign theme is "STIs are spreading fast – always use a condom". The Government has committed $9.8 million to the National STI Prevention Program to address a worrying rise in chlamydia, HIV/AIDS, and syphilis infections. There were around 70,000 reported cases of STIs in Australia in 2008 – 13 per cent more than in 2007, and it's young people who are most at risk. Three quarters of known cases occur among people aged between 15 and 29 years. The website for the campaign is http://www.sti.health.gov.au/ and the media release Campaign Targets Sexually Transmitted Infections has some statistical information about STIs. HealthInsite also has topic pages on Sexual Health, including pages on Safe Sex and Sexually Transmitted Infections.