Safe-sex message is for all (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Safe-sex message is for all

7:41am Monday 15th June 2009 in

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Figures from one hospital-based sexual health clinic show that around 15,000 patients sought their assistance over the last year.

And it must be remembered there are many other places across the district that people with concerns can turn to, which gives us some idea of the scale of the problem.

A little comfort can be gleaned from the fact that large numbers are coming forward to seek help.

For, as with many health issues, suffering in silence due to embarrassment or shame can have devastating consequences, and it does not seem so long ago that such behaviour was the norm.

But health workers fear that some people still think that there is a stigma attached to using the service.

And it seems that others are not heeding advice which could protect them in the first place.

For example, there is evidence that over-45s are contributing to the spread of sexual diseases by indulging in risky behaviour.

It appears that they may have forgotten the safe-sex message or think that that it somehow doesn’t apply to them.

It is clear that these attitudes need to change and it is equally clear that the experts can only do so much.

In the end, some individuals need to take more responsibility for their well-being and that of others.