Teenagers in 'sex health crisis'

[Lostinthestates]

Teenagers in the UK are facing a "sexual health crisis" fuelled by alcohol, drugs and risky sexual behaviour, a report warns.

Young people are "defining their lifestyle" by this behaviour encouraged by celebrity culture, said an advisory group on sexual health and HIV.

The increase in sexually-transmitted infections and high teenage pregnancy rates are "disturbing", it says.

The Department of Health said sexual health was among its "top priorities".

The report, by the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) on Sexual Health and HIV, said recent government campaigns had failed to recognise the link between drink, drugs and sexual health.

The IAG also points out that the UK has the highest rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual infections in Europe.

'Glamorising celebrity'

Increasing numbers of young teenagers are defining their lives by taking drugs, drinking alcohol and having under-age sex encouraged by today's celebrity culture, it says.

In the report, Professor Mark Bellis, head of the centre for public health at Liverpool John Moores University, called the link between alcohol, drugs and risky sexual behaviour a "fuel for a sexual health crisis".

The document also criticised parts of the media for glamorising celebrity excesses and said the promotion of perfect looks had meant many young people had taken pills or steroids to lose weight. The IAG said young people were exposed to conflicting messages with "explicit or subliminal" advertising.

Coverage of celebrity behaviour was prevalent while other information was restricted, it said.

'Distorted messages'

The advisory group, funded by the Department of Health, claimed restrictions on advertising condoms on television and the lack of compulsory sex education in schools was making the problem worse.

"There are restrictions on advertising condoms pre-watershed, and on showing a picture of a condom out of its wrapper. Our young people are therefore receiving distorted messages," it said.

It recommended condoms should be readily available to young people.

The IAG said teenagers who engaged in risky sexual behaviour were at greater risk of becoming young parents, contracting an STI, failing at school, building up longer-term problems as well as becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs.

In a statement the Department of Health said the issue of sexual health has been one of its top priorities an recent statistics showed the lowest levels of teenage pregnancies since 1993.

It also pointed to a reduction in drug use among young people.

The findings follow a recent Unicef report which put Britain at the bottom of the league of 21 countries for children's well being.
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Interesting but not really all that surprising!