November 20, 2009

Survey: 1 in 3 U.K. Respondents Never Discuss Sexual Health With Partner

There is a widespread lack of knowledge regarding safer sex and sexual health in the United Kingdom, BBC News reports. Results of a survey of 2,000 people ages 16 to 50 by the U.K. Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families reveal many misconceptions.

According to the article, one in three respondents never discussed sexual health with his or her partner. Twenty-six percent never discussed contraception. Seventeen percent didn’t know that some sexually transmitted infections, such as genital warts and herpes, couldn’t be treated with antibiotics. One in ten respondents believed it was not possible to get pregnant having sex standing up.

“Ignorance is just as transmissible as chlamydia or HIV, and we need to take firm steps to prevent all of those things from spreading,” said Lisa Power, the head of policy at the Terrence Higgins Trust, which fights HIV/AIDS and promotes sexual health.

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