With cases of super-gonorrhoea in the UK this year- it’s not surprising that sexual health is something that should be on any responsible adult's radar.
New research today from Medicine Direct however has shockingly revealed that Edinburgh is in fact the 4th worst place in the UK when it comes to taking care of our sexual health.
Alarmingly, 76% of people from Edinburgh have never had an STI test- putting them at the top of the leaderboard for this factor.
However, we were beaten by fellow Scottish city Glasgow who came out at 2nd place - beaten only by Cardiff.
The data came from a survey of 2,368 Brits across 28 cities who were asked questions about nine different aspects of sexual health.
Bristol was the best city for sexual health, ranking the lowest for people who’ve never been tested for an STI (42%) and the least likely to wait until they developed symptoms before getting tested (17%).
The research has highlighted some worrying stats- 32% of Brits don’t get tested because they don’t believe they’re at risk of STIs and 33% of adults said they never received any education about STIs in school.
The research comes as part of a campaign called ‘ Fruit of Your Loins ’ which aims to raise awareness about sexual health and break down common taboos.
Hussain Abdeh, Superintendent Pharmacist at Medicine Direct, said: “In light of our findings, we want to try and address the conversation about positive sexual health. Considering how easy it is to get your sexual health checked these days – whether by postal tests, sexual health clinics or your GP – there is a real need for improvement within our sexually active population.
“It’s worth remembering that some STIs, such as chlamydia, may have no visible symptoms but can be very damaging if left untreated. That’s why it’s so important to make regular STI testing part of your life and treat it as a regular part of your lifestyle, helping make you a sexually responsible individual."
Locals of Edinburgh can receive free STI testing and condoms at Chalmers Sexual Health Clinic on Lauriston Place - find out more here .
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