Access to health care critical to STI control for Indigenous youth

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Two papers by Williams et al. and Scott et al. describe the sexual risks and health-seeking behaviour of young Indigenous Australians. Their sexual risks and health-seeking behaviours are similar to the general Australian population, yet their risk of past sexually transmissible infections (STIs) is higher. These findings are consistent with previous findings and suggest that access to health care, and not sexual risk, remain critical to STI control in remote Indigenous communities.

 Reference: Fairley, C.K., Chow, E.P.F., Hocking, J.S. Early presentation of symptomatic individuals is critical in controlling sexually transmissible infections. Sexual Health, 12(3) pp.181 - 182.