Alcohol abuse ‘fuels sexual disease rise’
Dr Mary Horgan, an expert in infectious diseases, said: "Alcohol abuse is a major problem in getting people to practise safe sex."
She said those aged between 20 and 29 were most at risk.
Figures released by the National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC) show a year-on-year increase of almost 10% in the number of STIs reported.
Almost 70,000 STIs were reported since 1989 and just over 14% (9,703) were reported in 2001, the latest year for which figures are available.
STIs doubled between 1995 and 2001 and by over 300% between 1989 and 2001.
"The upward trend in STIs continues despite everything we do to get the safe sex message out," said Dr Horgan. "The safe sex message is out there but that goes by the wayside if alcohol is involved and the problem is getting worse."
Dr Hogan, a consultant physician based at Cork University Hospital, said more and more people are seeking treatment for STIs by coming to clinics to be screened and treated.
She said the steady increase in STIs reported to the NDSC worried her greatly. She said it indicated that people were not taking responsibility for their own health.
"No matter how many clinics we hold, they will always be full. There never seems to be an end to the amount of people we diagnose."
Dr Horgan said they were also seeing an increase in syphilis, hepatitis B and gonorrhoea in people who have returned to Ireland from abroad.
On the positive side, Dr Horgan said they had a lot of people starting new relationships coming to be screened. "We do take that opportunity, not only to reassure them but to educate them about practising safe sex."
NDSC specialist in public health medicine Dr Mary Cronin said while the number of cases of syphilis continues to be at a higher level than in 1999, the outbreak that resulted in a fivefold increase in cases, mainly among Dublin's gay community during 2001, was over.
Of particular concern is the increased risk of acquiring HIV infection when syphilis is present.
Dr Cronin said that while the increase in STIs reflected unsafe sexual practices, it also reflected increased testing for chlamydia one of the most commonly reported infections and greater public and professional awareness of STIs.
She said the Department of Health through the National AIDS Strategy Committee was planning a survey of young people's sexual behaviour.
"We need to know what young people think and how they behave if we are to get the safe sex message across," she said.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
