Govt 'needs joined-up approach' to teen sexual health
Report blasts celeb role models
Friday, 15, Jun 2007 12:00
The government has defended its action on young people and sexual health, after a report claimed there was no national, joined-up strategy to reduce risky behaviour.
A report from the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) on Sexual Health and HIV warned UK teenagers are approaching a sexual health crisis, fuelled by drink and drugs.
The report found a significant correlation between drug and alcohol use and risky sexual behaviour.
All three were found to be on the rise, as young people increasingly define their lifestyle by such behaviour, encouraged by celebrity and advertising, the report found.
The IAG called for a cross-governmental national strategy targeting drugs, alcohol misuse and risky sexual behaviour.
Arguing for a national and joined-up approach, it urges the government to work with manufacturers, advertisers and broadcasters, for example to prohibit the de facto marketing of alcohol to young people and discourage the sexualisation of children's toys.
It also recommends personal, social and health education (PSHE) be made a statutory requirement in schools, adding lessons must be comprehensive and factual and reflect the realities of young people's lives.
Health minister Caroline Flint said the government would study the IAG report but denied the government was apathetic on the issue.
Ms Flint said: "We are continually looking at new ways of working to ensure a joined up approach that places the individuals, in this case young people, at the heart of the work we are doing.
"For example, the impact of alcohol on sexual health was highlighted in 'Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps to the National Alcohol Strategy' launched earlier this month.
The government has also launched an online Teen Life Check, as part of an initiative to provide better services for teenagers, offering them support and advice.
Young people were consulted on the creation of the Teen Life Check and IAG recommends they are similarly involved in any future strategy.
Baroness Gould, chair of the IAG, said: "We applaud the various awareness campaigns for young people around sex, drugs and alcohol but they are not enough in isolation.
"As well as health promotion and prevention messages, all involved should review the areas that potentially encourage the young to use alcohol and drugs, with the associated impact on sexual activity."
The report found young people are not risk takers but instead "experiment and explore" – even if this involves risky behaviour.
It found young people suffer from a lack of information about drugs and alcohol, recommending PSHE lessons offer clear and factual drugs, alcohol and sex.
Researchers found a strong correlation between alcohol and drug use and sexual behaviour, and also a belief among young people that alcohol and drugs enhanced the experience.
It raised concerns some alcohol adverts are targeted at young people, and also found sexualised toys were marketed at very young children.
The report found different reasons for why young people engage in sex, but ambition and support from parents were identified as a powerful contraceptive.
A recent Unicef report ranked the UK bottom of the league of developed countries for child wellbeing, with the highest incidences of risk-taking.