Avoid danger of infertility

Sep 13 2009 by Laura Riding, Sunday Sun

CHLAMYDIA is spreading among young people at an alarming rate. SARAH RIDLEY chats to screening programme manager Michelle Stamp about the innovative ways used to get as many as possible tested and treated

FOR thousands of young people up and down the country chlamydia is the very last thing on their minds. And, considering the sexually transmitted infection often presents no symptoms, it’s little surprise.

Known as “the silent epidemic”, 70 per cent of women and 50pc of men who have the infection experience no warning signals.

“Most people don’t know they have the infection and therefore fail to seek out treatment and so we need to encourage as many people as possible to get tested,” explains Michelle Stamp, manager of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Chlamydia Screening Service.

In previous years, young people have proven reluctant to be tested for chlamydia and yet it is one of the most serious sexual health issues facing 15 to 24-year-olds today.

“This is gradually changing,” says Michelle. “Our new and wide-ranging approach to encourage young people to get tested is proving more successful than ever.”

The efforts of the screening service have produced some of the most promising figures in the country with 35,745 people being tested in 2008 alone. One of the biggest successes this year in encouraging young people to get tested was at Newcastle’s Evolution Festival. In a two-day period more than 2000 of the target group were tested.

The screening service joined forces with those in County Durham, Darlington and Teesside for the event. Fifty peer educators – young people specially trained to perform the test – took part.

“We are trying to make it as normal and easy as possible for young people to get tested and so we recruit young people from the area to help us,” says Michelle.

The region’s screening services also aim to raise awareness of the health issues that can arise if chlamydia is not diagnosed. Michelle says: “It really can have such a serious impact on people’s lives.

“If left untreated, chlamydia can cause infertility. Antibiotics are all that is needed to prevent this.”

To inform young people about these effects, the region’s screening service has sent peer educators to universities, colleges and night- clubs to encourage as many people as possible to take a confidential test.

The screening service has also recently introduced a television advert. Michelle says: “We used young people from the area as actors in the advertisement,.

“They had a lot of input into the script- writing in the hope the message would engage more with viewers.”

The advert proved another success, with 2000 people getting tested as a direct result. Another new approach is a website recently launched where people can apply online to be sent a free testing kit.

A urine sample is sent off to a laboratory and people can choose whether they want to receive their results by text, telephone or post.

“Unfortunately we cannot make it anonymous because we need to contact people about their results. However, it is 100 per cent confidential,” explains Michelle.

“It has proven successful with people who may be too shy to go to their doctor or sexual health clinic and ask for the test directly.”

Get the free test from www.checkyourbits.org, by texting GREMLIN with your full name and address to 80010 or by calling 0191-229 2958.

If you live in County Durham, Darlington or Teesside you can order your test from www.haveigotit.org or by telephone on 0191- 518 1844 or 01642-266210.

CHLAMYDIA FACTS

Seventy per cent of women and 50pc of men do not experience any symptoms.

Symptoms for women can include bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, unusual vaginal discharge and lower abdominal pain.

Symptoms for men can include discharge from the penis, pain during urination and inflammation of the testicles.

To test for chlamydia, a simple urine test is all that is needed.

People can protect themselves from chlamydia by always using a condom.

People under the age of 25 who are sexually active should be tested regularly.

If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and can leave both men and women infertile.

Chlamydia can be easily treated with a free short course of antibiotics.