Sexual Health Needs Assessment

And

Equity Audit in Tower Hamlets with

Main Focus on Young People Under 25

NHSTower Hamlets

October 2010

  • Tower Hamlets has the 8th highest rate of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) per 100,000 population in the country.
  • Heterosexual men had the highest numbers of diagnoses for the key five STIs.
  • Gonorrhoea, chlamydia and anogenital herpes diagnoses have risen, with the highest numbers of new infections being seen in men compared with women between 2008 and 2009.
  • Chlamydia Testing:By the end of March 2010, 20,471 screens had been performed on Tower Hamlets residents; 17,806 (87%)of these were performed in Tower Hamlets services. 59% of screens were performed in 20-24 year olds;38% in the 16-19 year olds; less than 3% in the under16s; 51% of screens were on men; 31% were White and 27% Asian. Overall, 16-19 year old women were most likely to have a positive result, therefore classified as the highest ‘at risk’ population.
  • Conception and abortion: Conceptions in women aged 15-17 have decreasedby 42.1% since 1998, with a rate per 1,000 15-17 year old women being lower than Inner London and England averages. In 2008, 53% of conceptions under the age of 18 led to an abortion. This is higher than the average for England (50%) but lower than the average for Inner London (60%).The highest proportion of abortions were performed in over 25s (47%), followed by 18-25s (42%). In terms of ethnicity, the highest proportion of abortions were performed on White British (16.5%) and Bangladeshi (13.6%) women.
  • People living with HIV:In 2009, there were 1,007 people living with HIV in Tower Hamlets (3.9/1,000 population), an increase of 34% since 2005 and 10% in the last year. Sex between men is the main route of HIV infection (71%) followed by heterosexual women (11%) and men (7%).
  • Public Engagement: Sex and relationship education (SRE) was mostly perceived as inadequate, yet was regarded as a primary area where Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) information should be learnt. Young men had far less information than young women, were less inclined to seek out services and often perceived that contraception was the girl’s responsibility. Abortion is a growing/well known issue within the Asian community and other groups are aware of this as well. Young men had far less information than young women, were less inclined to seek out services and often perceived that contraception was the girl’s responsibility. SRE and the need for more interventions in schools was highlighted as an area that was needed and offered potentially big returns in SRH.