Gays out west getting STI tests
A jump in STI testing among western Sydney’s gay population may have turned around one of the long-standing difficult areas faced by health officials.
A Liverpool clinic saw a 25 percent jump in HIV and STI testing among gay men in the last six months, which has been attributed to a recent increase in youth groups and education campaigns.
Although the total number of gay men presenting at the clinic is relatively low compared to those closer to the city, it appears local gay men are responding well to initiatives by Sydney South West Area Health Service and partner organisations such as ACON, Bigge Park Centre specialist Dr Yoges Paramsothy said.
We would like to encourage gay men to get tested regularly and to practise safe sex.
The initiatives include the B’SSAY youth group at Bankstown and Camp Queer at Campbelltown, run each fortnight.
Twenty10 and the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service have also made reaching out to the gay and lesbian populations of western Sydney a major priority.
info: For more information about same-sex youth groups in south western Sydney, contact Timothy on 9828 5754 or email [email protected].
