Why is it so important?

a GP trainee-delivered educational talk

1. What do you Know about STIs? (Discuss!)

2. Common Types of STIs

3. How to Avoid STIs

4. Keeping safe- internet and social media

5. Where and How to Find Help

6. Questions?
• Stands for..?

• Sexually Transmitted Infections

• Who can get these?

• ANYONE who is SEXUALLY ACTIVE

• How are they passed on?

• from person to person:

• having UNPROTECTED genital contact

• oral, vaginal, or anal sex

• sharing sex toys

 • Can be caused by different bugs

• viruses, bacteria, parasites…

Genital Warts
Gonorrhoea HIV
and HPV

Herpes
Chlamydia
• Most common STI in the UK!

• Transmitted via contact with infected fluid

Most people DO NOT
HAVE SYMPTOMS!
• from either penis or vagina

• Symptoms:

• pain when passing urine

3
0…
• unusual vaginal discharge/bleeding after sex or 7
between periods
0…
• tummy pain

• pain when passing urine

• whitish discharge from penis

5 5
0… 0…
• pain in testicles
• Complications of untreated chlamydia can be
serious

• difficulty conceiving children (infertility)

• pelvic inflammatory disease or testicular

infection

• Simple treatment with antibiotics:

• 1 day

• 7 days

• Prevent new infections by wearing protection!

• So, get screened for chlamydia even if you feel ok!

• Anonymous, free services available for under- 25s

• Caused by BACTERIA
(neisseria gonorrhoea/
gonococcus))

• Bacteria can infect:

• entrance to womb (cervix)

• tube that passes urine out

of the body (urethra)

• the back passage (rectum)

• throats and eyes also can

get infected!
 10
• Symptoms? %
• green or yellowish discharge from vagina or penis

• pain when passing urine 90

%
• women: bleeding in between periods

• 1/10 men and almost 5/10 women have NO symptoms!

• Treatment
5 5
• antibiotics (tablet or an injection) 0 0
• SUPERBUGS forming- so can be difficult to treat…

• … AVOID it in the first place: wear condoms/protection!

• Why is it important to avoid this STI?

• Females:

• pelvic inflammatory disease

• pain

• problems in pregnancy or
becoming pregnant

• Males:

• pain in testicles

• infertility (unable to have

children)
• VIRAL infection spread by sex

• human papilloma virus, HPV

• Causes warts in genital area

• small groups of bumps (can be removed)

(but people with infection can have no
symptoms)

• Body can’t always get rid of HPV virus (but

sometimes does)

• important to avoid it in the first place

• use CONDOMS if having sex

• Some types of HPV virus can cause

• cervical cancer (neck of womb)

• and some other types of cancer (anal,

head and neck)

• Vaccination

• Gardasil vaccine for girls (to start

including boys in year 2019/2020)

• 2 doses: year 8-9

• Screening for Cervical cancer (smear test)

• from age 25
• Human Immunodeficiency virus • No cure- virus will always stay with
you
• HIV when first infected
• but very treatable these days
• can become AIDS (acquired with specialised medication!
immunodeficiency syndrome) if left
untreated- advanced stage of
disease
• best option- AVOID getting it
and USE PROTECTION!
• Virus attacks and damages immune
system

• leads to nasty infections and

cancers taking over

• How do people get it?

• Herpes Simplex virus

• Causes painful blisters on genitals

• can also make you feel like you

have the flu

• Transmitted by sex and skin to skin

• Can cause infertility and can affect

baby when pregnant

• treat with anti-viral medication

• If you do have sex…

• …always use protection (condoms

etc)

• Other types of contraception

• the pill, the coil, the injection, the

implant

• better at preventing pregnancy

• but don’t stop STIs!

• ‘Condom card’

• 13-25 year olds

• free service- sign up

to pick up free condoms

• Many centres across

Northamptonshire
• Have sex only when you both feel ready

• have a safe relationship

• Consent is key! If it doesn’t feel right, and

you don’t want to, don’t do it.
https://youtu.be/pZwvrxVavnQ

• Be mindful of the law:

• theoretically not legal if less than 16 yrs

• criminal offence if younger than 13 yrs.

• Easy to find anything on the internet

• Easy to SHARE anything on the internet; social media etc

• including pornography

• Under 18: ILLEGAL to watch, buy or share porn

• including ‘sending nudes’

• There are types of porn that are illegal to all

• anything that can cause risk of injury or death

• violent images (rape, abuse)

• anything that is degrading

• anything involving people under 18.

 • It’s so easy to post online- we do it without thinking!

• Sometimes we post things we wish we hadn’t

• You can delete posts, but remember:

‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖

‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️

‼️ 😖😡😥 😰 ‼️
ONCE YOU HAVE POSTED,
ANYONE CAN SAVE IT AND RE-POST IT!
‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖 ‼️ 😰😥😡😖
• How do you stay safe? Think first:

• don’t post your phone number or email or

address on a public page

• Don’t post pictures of you in your school

uniform or other recognisable things:
- people can find out where you are from

• don’t feel pressured to meet, or share

photos of your body, if someone asks,
especially if you don’t know them.

• contact people you trust if you feel unsafe

• The more anonymous you are, the less

vulnerable you are to people with bad
intentions!
• Where to get help if someone is bullying or
being weird with you or your friends
online?

• contact social media administrators or

report them online.

• inform teacher or parents

• contact CHILDLINE

• free, confidential and always available

for anyone under 19 years
Number: 0800 1111
• for ANY issue you are going through
email: make an account to send email
1-2-1 counselling available
• https://youtu.be/nIiwNAwS1BY
• If you’re worried you could be
being groomed or abused, and
are feeling threatened by
someone online:

• report to CHILD
EXPLOITATION
and ONLINE PREVENTION
(CEOP) command

• (law enforcement agency

helping young people from
online abuse and grooming)

• report on: thinkuknow.co.uk

 Where to Find Help? What it Offers?

- contraception advice
Integrated Sexual Health Service
- free condoms
Northampton General Hospital (01604 609 766)
- sexual health screening (STI checks
Young Persons Walk in Clinic Wednesday 3-5pm
including HIV)
By appointment on other days
- home chlamydia testing kits

The Lowdown (01604 634 385)

1st and 3rd Saturday of the month 1:30-4:30pm
- as above
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm and 4-6:30pm
3 Kingswell Street, NN1 1PP
- contraceptive advice
General Practitioner (GP)/Practice Nurse
- emergency contraception
- psychological concerns regarding
sexual relationships
 Where to Find Help? What it Offers?

Child Exploitation and Online Prevention Command - system to report online sexual abuse
(CEOP) - provides an advisory service to
via thinkuknow.co.uk ensure you are safe

Childline - service for young people <19 years

https://www.childline.org.uk/ with ANY issue requiring advice and
phone: 0800 11 11 counselling

Emergency Services - if in immediate threat or physical

999 danger
 • Sexually transmitted diseases are common

• but can be prevented by USING PROTECTION!

• don’t hesitate to seek help if you have any questions or just want to get
checked- be safe, not sorry!

• Be safe and stay smart; don’t make yourself vulnerable or feel under
pressure to do anything you are not comfortable with.

• Seek help and reach out if struggling or not sure.

Bibliography
www.nhs.uk
www.freetest.me
(for font: fontmeme.com)