THEGAYUK

Tag: Sexual Health

The latest news from the world of sexual health. Everything you needed to know about gay sexual health. If you’ve got a question don’t forget to ask our experts.

  • Sexual health charity releases video urging condom use

    HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust has launched a short video clip for gay and bisexual men, outlining the risks of recent infection – the initial period after HIV is contracted, when a person is super-infectious but won’t yet know they have the virus – and urging men to use condoms with new or casual partners.

    The 1:30 clip ‘Ben and Will’, which can be viewed at www.tht.org.uk/BenandWill, has been released as part of It Starts With Me, the flagship campaign from Terrence Higgins Trust and HIV Prevention England (HPE). It demonstrates how men who have recently contracted HIV are often unaware of their status, and – if they have contracted HIV within the last six weeks or so – will have such a high level of the virus in their body, they will be more infectious than at any point afterwards. Among gay men, as many as eight out of ten HIV transmissions are passed on by a partner who doesn’t know he has it.

    Cary James, Head of Health Improvement at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “Too many guys are deciding not to use a condom because they believe they or their partner are HIV-negative. It’s called serosorting, but really it should be called seroguessing. If either guy has had unprotected sex since his last negative result, he could not only have picked up HIV but now be super-infectious. As tests often won’t detect HIV during these first few weeks either, it’s really important men protect themselves by continuing to use condoms.”

    In the UK, one in five gay and bisexual men with HIV remain undiagnosed, meaning there are currently more than 7,000 men in the UK’s gay community who have HIV but don’t know it. It Starts With Me focuses on a combination approach of condoms, testing and treatment to halt the spread of infection among the gay community. Using condoms and lube when having anal sex significantly reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, being passed on.
    HIV Prevention England is a partnership of community organisations headed by Terrence Higgins Trust and funded by the Department of Health to carry out national HIV prevention work in England among communities at an increased risk of infection.

    Gay and bisexual men are invited to sign up to It Starts With Me by visiting www.startswithme.org.uk . They can also join the conversation on social media at www.facebook.com/startswithme

  • Gay Men At Greatest Risk Of Sexually Transmitted Infections

    A shocking new report from Public Health England (PHE) shows that gay men and young adults are most at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.

    There were 446,253 sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosed in England in 2013, according to new Public Health England (PHE) data out today – close to the number diagnosed in 2012 (448,775 cases).

    Chlamydia was the most common STI, making up 47% of all diagnoses (208,755), while gonorrhoea diagnoses saw a large rise, up 15% from 2012 to 2013 (29,291).

    Among heterosexuals diagnosed in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in 2013, young people (15-24 years) experienced the highest STI rates – 63% of chlamydia cases (56,034), 54% of genital warts (36,312), 42% of genital herpes (12,450) and 56% of gonorrhoea (8,122).

    Gay men were also disproportionately affected, accounting for 81% of syphilis (2,393) and 63% of gonorrhoea (13,570) cases in male GUM clinic attendees. Gonorrhoea diagnoses rose 26% in this group, nearly double the national rate, which is of particular concern as harder to treat gonorrhoea strains emerge.

    Dr Catherine Lowndes, consultant scientist in PHE’s STI surveillance team, said: ‘Sustained efforts to encourage people to regularly get checked for STIs means we are now finding and treating more infections – which is good news. Nevertheless these data show too many people are still getting STIs each year, especially young adults and gay men.

    ‘Investment in promoting good sexual health awareness, contraception and condom use, and STI testing is vital, as is ongoing investment in easy to access sexual health services that meet the needs of local populations. Not only will this help bring down STI rates but abortion rates and under 18 conceptions as well.’

    National guidance recommends local services routinely offer chlamydia screening to young adults but only 15% of young men and 35% of young women were tested in 2013. Wide variation across the country were seen in rates of chlamydia testing and diagnoses – with only around 1/3 of local authorities reaching the recommended chlamydia screening outcome (2,300 diagnoses per 100,000 young adults per year).

    Dr Lowndes, PHE, continued: ‘Chlamydia can have serious consequences, including infertility, if it’s not treated. These data show we need to do more to encourage young adults to ask for testing every year when they attend health services.

    ‘Local areas can look at embedding screening into a variety of settings to make it as easy as possible for this group to get tested. Offering a young adult a chlamydia test opens the door to conversations about other important aspects of good sexual health, such as contraception and condom use.’

    Individuals can significantly reduce their risk of catching or passing on an STI by consistently and correctly using condoms until all partners have had a sexual health screen, by reducing the number of sexual partners, and by avoiding overlapping sexual relationships.

    If in one of the highest risk groups, getting screened regularly will lead to early identification and treatment, as these infections are frequently asymptomatic:
    · Sexually active under 25-year-olds should be screened for chlamydia every year, and on change of sexual partner
    · Gay and bisexual men should have an HIV/STI screen at least annually or every three months if having unprotected sex with new or casual partners
    · Black African men and women should also have an HIV test and a regular HIV/STI screen if having unprotected sex with new or casual partners.

    Cary James, Head of Health Improvement at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: ‘These figures show we now have more gay men testing more regularly, and that’s a good thing. However, it’s not the whole picture. Too many men are taking risks with their sexual health, more often than not because they believe they share a HIV status with their partner. Even if they’re right – which many of them aren’t – eliminating HIV risk does not make you immune to other STIs. The sharp increase in rates of both gonorrhoea and syphilis is concerning, especially in the context of emerging drug-resistant strains of gonorrhoea.

    ‘Part of the problem is that the current approach to sex education in schools is leaving gay and bisexual men out in the cold. Gay men will continue to be disproportionately affected by sexual ill health until we have a proper programme of sex and relationships education in all schools, that is fit for the 21st century and covers all types of relationship. Taught properly, sex and relationships education has been shown to delay sexual activity, reduce the number of sexual partners, and increase the use of condoms. Having that bedrock in place is a vital step to give gay and bisexual men the confidence as adults to make healthy decisions about sex.’

  • Hepatitis C To Be Eliminated By The Year 2030

    It is currently estimated that there are 144,000 people living with Hepatitis C in England alone. Though a small proportion of the total, men who have sex with men are one of the risk groups.

     Until now there has been no definite cure, and so far treatments have been long, debilitating, and often don’t work anyway. The usual outcome is cirrhosis of the liver, and eventual prognosis death.
    So why is Hepatitis C treatment in the news? According to the Hep C Trust, new treatments are now available that can cure 95% of all cases, leading to a projected saving in England alone of over 5000 lives by 2030 and preventing the need for 1000 future liver transplants. The population of those living with Hepatitis C would be cut by over 90%.
    What is needed is a nationwide screening programme and greater awareness. Often GPs don’t test for Hep C until the illness is quite advanced. Early diagnosis and treatment will mean that transmission rates will slow down, and eventually peter out, hence the projection that we could eliminate the disease by 2030. There are similarities with HIV here, in that early diagnosis and treatment can bring down a patient’s viral load to undetectable, meaning that it is virtually impossible for them to pass on the virus. But there is one important difference. Where there is still no cure for HIV, there is now a cure for Hep C, so it is doubly important that we get tested. As gay men, we are fortunate in that we are usually offered Hep C screening as a matter of course when attending a Sexual Health Clinic. If you aren’t, then ask for it.

    This awareness needs to be extended into the wider populace, where the problem is one of implementation, which, as usual, is taking too long. A few days ago, The Guardian ran a story stating that, “the NHS is to pay for around 500 people with end-stage liver disease caused by hepatitis C to receive a new drug which could cure them, without waiting for guidance from the advisory body, Nice.”

    As Charles Gore, one of the founder members of The Hepatitis C Trust put it at the media event I attended, “Are we going to step up and do this, or leave things as they are.” This would certainly seem to be a step in the right direction. Though the cost of treatment is high, it has to be weighed against the far greater cost of doing nothing, allowing Hepatitis C rates to increase, and ultimately putting a far greater burden on the NHS. We should be looking at the long term, not, as is sadly too often the case, the short term. Governments, as we know too well, rarely look past the next election date.
    Let us hope that both the Government and the NHS take notice and set us on the path to eradicating this terrible disease.

  • Is sex the glue to a relationship?

    The usual scenario for guys connecting up is eye contact across a crowded room, or in a sauna or a street and so on. A quick glance up and down and phoarr I want more of that (sometimes the eyes don’t get past a certain bulge!).

    What we see is usually the first thing that attracts us to a potential mate. Granted there are occasions when there is no immediate physical attraction and the embryo relationship starts with the enjoyment of the person’s company and conversation. But these are few and far between so will not be considered for this article.

    You move to pounce. The old chat-up lines seem to work and you get on great. In the end, whether it takes that night (or in a sauna those 5 minutes) or a week, you end up in bed. Sometimes the sex is fine sometimes it’s great. But what has really happened is your cauldron of hormones has started bubbling and you begin to be drawn in to forming a relationship with this ‘god’. Hopefully, he feels the same too.

    Gay relationships are really not much different from straight ones. Physical attraction brings two people together. Perhaps the bedding stage may be slower with heterosexuals. Women tend to want to get to know the guy but the end result is the same. Some relationship scientists believe there are three stages in relationship development – lust, attraction and attachment. All stages involve hormones.

    The first stage – the ‘I’ve got to have him’ stage is driven mainly by testosterone. As the attraction develops and we become attracted to each other, the second stage, testosterone continues to drive things along but the hormones dopamine, serotonin and adrenaline become important. This is the period when we feel we’re ‘in love’. It’s the romantic period when the other person is in our minds most of the time. We just know they are the one.

    Dopamine focuses on the neurotransmitters and is not very different to some addictive drugs such as heroin because of the feel-good high it gives, the extra energy and a reduced need for sleep. Adrenaline increases heart beat which is why we feel more excited when we see or think of our loved one. And the increase in serotonin makes us feel a bit mad and contributes to our feelings of well-being and happiness.

    The third stage, attachment, sees another two hormones surface – oxytocin and vasopressin. This stage is vital if the relationship is to survive. But because of the addictive nature of the second stage, especially the production of dopamine, a lot of relationships don’t get this far. There is more contentment but less excitement. There is more intimacy but less explosions.

    Oxytocin is called the cuddling hormone. As human we tend to seek out touch from others. When we cuddle or just even touch the brain releases oxytocin which makes us feel calmer and helps us bond with that person. Have you ever had a bad day and found that cuddling your lover makes you forget everything? That’s oxytocin at work.

    So is sex the glue to a successful relationship? The answer is yes and no. If by relationship you mean an exciting six months of sex fuelled coupling then yes. But the effects don’t last and to have a successful, long term relationship you need to move into the attachment stage. However, because of the availability of fresh partners and the stimulating stage of first meets a lot of relationship, gay and straight, don’t last long.

    It takes work to move to the next stage and both partners need to want the slightly less exciting, but usually more fulfilling, longer term relationship. After the first six months or so, despite what is generally believed, the amount of sex declines. But something else grows and it is shared interests, mutual respect and trust, the quiet physical intimacy and emotional support that makes this next stage of a relationship so satisfying. This is the glue to long-term relationships.

    This article was taken from Issue 3 of TheGayUK

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Confidante Sexual Heath Kit Reviewed

    If you’re concerned about your sexual health and always find excuses not to get checked out, then the new Confidante STI home test may be for you. I try out a kit to find out just how easy it is to use.

    The kit tests for ten different STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) from either a urine sample or a swab. Using the urine pot I collected my sample, filled a vile and that was it. Simple. No needles, no umbrella metal objects to push down anything! You then just fill out the form and return with your sample in the pre-paid envelope provided.

    It says test results can take up to a week and as soon as I’d posted the kit, though fairly confident on my results having been in a long term relationship, I still felt that sudden ‘Oh dear, what if something comes back positive?’

    The results can be sent a number of ways via post, email, phone or online. I opted for online and as soon as I received the email to say they were in, I logged onto the website with my unique reference number to discover I was in fact clear in all ten tests. It’s always reassuring to know you’re not carrying an STI that you didn’t know about, especially as some can go undetected for years.

    Of course had any of the tests come back positive then you will be advised to seek appropriate treatment either from a Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic or your GP. Should you not want to discuss results with your GP then other advice can be offered on services available to you.
    The Confidante lab uses your sample to test for the following:

    1 – Chlamydia trachomatis
    2 – Neisseria gonorrhoea
    3 – Treponema pallidum (Syphilis)
    4 – Herpes Simplex Virus 1
    5 – Herpes Simplex Virus 2
    6 – Trichomonas vaginalis
    7 – Mycoplasma hominis
    8 – Mycoplasma genitalium
    9 – Ureaplasma genitalium
    10 – Haemophilus ducreyi (Chancroid)

    You can order your kits online at www.confidantetest.com

  • GMFA calls for HPV jab for 357000 secondary school boys

    Sexual Health Charity GMFA have called on the UK Government to provide a HPV Vaccination to 367,000 12-year-old boys in the hope of protecting them against HPV-Related Cancers

    · HPV infection in men is associated with up to 90% of anal cancers, 60% of penile cancers, and 75% of tonsillar and base-of-tongue cancers.
    · A massive 64% of parents surveyed in a YouGov poll agreed that boys should be offered the HPV vaccine.

    GMFA, one of the biggest sexual health charities in the UK and HPV Action has called upon the government to offer boys HPV Jabs – which will protect them against HPV-Related cancers – such as anal cancer.

    Girls in the UK are already vaccinated.

    GOVERNMENT SHOULD ACT FAST
    HPV Action, a coalition of 25 patient and professional organisations, says, “The Government should act immediately to end the serious future health risks facing boys from some of the UK’s fastest growing cancers.” HPV is commonly known to be the primary cause of cervical cancer in women, but it is also a real and rapidly growing health threat to UK men and especially to gay men.

    VACCINE MOST EFFECTIVE
    Matthew Hodson, Chief Executive of GMFA, adds: “GMFA supports HPV Action’s call for HPV vaccination to be universal. The vaccine is most effective when it is given to pre-adolescents, before the age when most young gay men feel able to be open about their sexuality, even if they have accepted it. The current policy of providing the vaccination to young girls but not to young boys may help prevent heterosexual men from getting HPV sexually but provides no protection for gay men and only limited protection for bisexual men. Gay men are more likely to acquire sexually transmitted infections, including HPV, and so the current policy amplifies existing health inequalities and contributes to the high prevalence of cancers within the gay population.”

    CANCER
    In 2012 HPV accounted for 40,392 new cases – a 15% increase since 2003 of genital warts. In men HPV is associated with up to 90% of anal cancer, 60% of penile cancers and 75% of tonsillar and base-of-tongue cancers.
    Tristan Almada, who co-founded The HPV and Anal Cancer Foundation after losing his mother to HPV-related anal cancer in 2010, said: “I want to prevent the horror my family went through from ever happening to anyone else again. We have that opportunity today via universal HPV vaccination. The UK should be a leader, not a laggard, to the rest of the world.”

  • PHE warns of Shigella Dysentery rise in gay and bisexual men

    A new campaign to warn gay and bisexual men about the risk of Shigella dysentery is being launched today by Public Health England (PHE) in partnership with Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), as new figures show a surge in cases likely to have been sexually-acquired over the past 12 months.

    * Shingella is a serious gut infection
    * Can cause prolonged diarrhoea and stomach cramps
    * Can be caught through Oral sex and Rimming

    In the UK, Shigella flexneri usually affects similar numbers of men and women and is linked with overseas travel, but 2013 data show an excess of more than 200 cases of the infection in men with no or unknown travel history, compared to women. London is most affected.

    GUT INFECTION
    Shigella is a serious gut infection causing severe, prolonged diarrhoea and stomach cramps. Among gay and bisexual men, Shigella is usually passed on through the faecal-oral route during sex, either directly or via unwashed hands – only a tiny amount of bacteria can spread the infection.

    Symptoms often develop around 1-3 days after sex, including:
    · Frequent and explosive diarrhoea lasting more than 48 hours
    · Stomach cramps
    · Feeling feverish with flu like symptoms
    · Some people report vomiting
    · Feeling weak and tired (accompanying the gastrointestinal symptoms)
    Men experiencing Shigella symptoms are advised to visit their GP or a clinic, specifically mentioning Shigella and requesting a stool sample test. The infection is treatable with antibiotics. Risk of infection can be reduced by avoiding oral contact with faeces during sex and washing hands thoroughly and showering after sex.

    Interviews with gay and bisexual men who caught the infection through sex found links to high numbers of partners, often met anonymously online or at sex parties. For many, using drugs, such as mephedrone, methamphetamine (crystal meth), ketamine and GBL, before or during sex led to lowered inhibitions and riskier sex. Worryingly, one in three men using these drugs had injected them (known as ‘slamming’). Most of the men interviewed had not heard of Shigella before and thought they had food poisoning.

    CAUSES OF SHIGELLA
    One of the men interviewed, who got Shigella through anal-oral sex (‘rimming’), said: “Getting Shigella was the lowest point in my life. I suffered uncontrollable bloody diarrhoea with severe stomach cramps. The ferocity of symptoms and dehydration headaches made me think I was going to die. Initially I blamed it on a bad curry and held off visiting my GP for a week, but really wish I had gone straight away. Although it was treatable with antibiotics, the illness cost me a fortune as I had to take six weeks off work on statutory sick pay.”
    As part of the awareness campaign, posters and leaflets are being distributed in nightclubs, saunas and other gay venues, plus sexual health clinics, highlighting the symptoms of Shigella, how it is transmitted and how to avoid it.

    ON THE RISE
    Dr Gwenda Hughes, PHE head of STI surveillance, said: “Shigella is on the rise, so it is vital gay and bisexual men know about it and how to avoid getting it. We’re also seeing increasing HIV and gonorrhoea diagnoses among gay and bisexual men in the UK – indeed, most of the men with Shigella had been diagnosed with other STIs including HIV. This is a reminder how important it is to use a condom when having sex with casual and new partners.”

    Cary James, Head of Health Improvement at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “Although on paper the number of documented cases of Shigella are quite small, the concern is that not all cases are being reported. Men with symptoms who haven’t heard of Shigella before might assume it’s a particularly bad case of food poisoning. However, the infection can be dangerous, even more so if you’re already living with HIV or Hep C. We would urge anyone who is experiencing symptoms, or who’s concerned they may have been at risk, to call our free helpline THT Direct or visit www.tht.org.uk/shigella.”

    Dr Hughes continued: “The Shigella awareness campaign is part of a broader commitment to helping improve the health of gay and bisexual men, including exploring the links between health and drug use. The level of injecting drug use is a particular concern as we know that this puts men at greatly increased risk of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C”
    Individuals worried about Shigella or their drug use can find out more on the Terrence Higgins Trust website – including finding a local service to visit for further advice. www.tht.org.uk/shigella

  • ADVICE | When he enters me… I lose my erection

    ADVICE | When he enters me… I lose my erection

    Hi guys

    I’m having erection issues. I’ve been in relationship for three years and the sex is still great and I get aroused and stiff quickly and solidly but on a number of occasions recently, as soon as he enters me, I lose my erection. What can you advise?

    cheers

    Jon

    Dear Jon,

    Thank you for your question. Firstly be reassured that plenty of people have issues like this so you are not alone.

    We have a specialist service at 56 Dean Street for people who suffer from erection problems, however, you would need to be referred in by your GP. You can get him to do this directly with a letter, or we have a form which you can collect and ask the GP to fill out before sending it back.

    Hopefully, this helps!

    Jenna

  • Gay and Bi Men In Norwich Urged To Wrap It Up

    Rise in syphilis cases among gay and bisexual men in the Norwich area.

    (more…)

  • New sexual health centre tests 20 percent more patients

    Guy’s and St Thomas’ new community sexual health centre has treated almost 20% more patients since moving from a hospital clinic 12 months ago.

    Burrell Street in Southwark is the first NHS sexual health clinic in London to open seven days a week – it replaced the Lydia Clinic at St Thomas’ in December 2012. There were 24,980 attendances at Burrell Street from January to November this year compared with 21,095 at the Lydia Clinic in the same period last year – an 18.4% increase.

    Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England who officially opened the state-of-the-art centre on Friday 6 December, said: “There is no one-size-fits all solution to improving the sexual and reproductive health of the nation. However, we know that making it easy for people to access expert advice and services, such as tests for sexually transmitted infections and HIV, can help them to make healthy, informed choices, and address health concerns early and effectively. Burrell Street is an excellent example of this – with great results already being seen in its first year.”

    Dr Anatole Menon-Johansson, Clinical Lead for Sexual Health Services at Guy’s and St Thomas’, says: “These figures show people are responding positively to what we offer at Burrell Street. Our Sunday clinics are particularly popular because no other NHS sexual health centre in London is open seven days a week. We are giving people what they want, when they want it.
    “By taking sexual health services out of hospital and into our local community we want to make having a sexual health test as routine as a check-up at your dentist or optician.”

    Marielle Perraut, Matron for Sexual Health Services at Guy’s and St Thomas’, adds: “The commitment, enthusiasm and expertise of all our staff is fundamental to the success of our new centre at Burrell Street. They have embraced a whole new way of working and made the centre a safe, friendly and innovative environment for both patients and staff.”

    Southwark and Lambeth have some of the UK’s highest rates of sexually transmitted infections and HIV. Burrell Street provides a range of services for the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, rapid HIV tests, and a contraception clinic. The environment is designed to put patients at ease. It includes eye-catching artwork funded by Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity.

  • COLUMN | Stay Lucky

    This month disco chart duo Daft Punk tweeted a picture their own range of condoms. The “Get Lucky” range is named after their recent hit and the packaging features the cover art from their latest album “Random Access Memories”.

    At first it was thought that this was a promotion with Durex, however they have stated that they are not involved. This maybe a cheeky bit of self-promotion or clever marketing synergy however it has got people talking about the band.

    This is not the first time musicians or bands have promoted condoms.

    In 2011, glam rock icons Kiss launched a range of their own condoms. The initial design featured Gene Simmons legendary tongue across the- ahem- length of the product. Although they passed all the relevant safety tests and requirements that condoms are required to, they were very much a novelty item based around the link between rock and roll and sex. They were licensed as an official kiss product. Wills and Kate, David Beckham and Mischa Barton have found themselves on condom wrappers although these are unofficial products.

    On the more serious side of the spectrum, Lady Gaga dressed as a giant condom on breakfast television in America promoting safe sex. Outrageous.

    Popular boy band and reality TV stars JLS released their own range of condoms last year. At the time this certainly raised some eyebrows due to the young age of their fan base. The band were partnered with Durex for this campaign and saw each member of the group have their photo and individual colour scheme on a wrapper. In comparison to the other examples, The JLS condom range was released as part of the Just Love Safe campaign through the JLS foundation, a charity the band had set up to empower and excite young people. The sales from the condoms went back into the foundation. The press release at the time stated that the UK had the highest rate of teen STI’s in Europe.

    Realistically we live in an age of celebrity, whether it’s for talent, ability or simply good positioning, ordinary people are elevated into positions of notoriety and that’s really what celebrity endorsements are all about, bringing attention to both the celebrity and the product being sold. Some will use that fame responsibly to promote important causes such as safer sex.

    Celebrities maybe used as a mouthpiece to promote different causes because on some level we may respect them, but when it really comes to safe sex does it matter?

    Realistically the only person you need to have respect for is yourself. Does it matter what a singer from a TV programme thinks about your sexual health? You are in control.

    The Gay UK’s No Excuse project is about you having that control. It means that condoms, lube and sexual health screening are all available online. If you are self-conscious about buying protection or just struggle to afford them, the option for you to get help and support is there. It’s not about following trends. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks as long as you are protecting yourself.
    www.noexcuseproject.co.uk