Campaign to protect young people from STIs by using condoms

Public Health England has an ongoing sexual health campaign to encourage condom use by young adults to reduce the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Protect against STIs aims to reduce the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among 16 to 24-year-olds through condom usage.

‘Protect against STIs’ aims to raise awareness of the serious consequences of STIs, which can cause infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID – an infection of the female upper genital tract, including the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries), swollen or painful testicles and even meningitis.

Gonorrhoea is a particular concern because it is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and may become untreatable in the future. The campaign highlights the increased likelihood of contracting an STI if having sex without a condom and that many STIs are symptomless, including seven in ten cases of chlamydia.