Researchers from the University of Queensland have worked with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to produce a series of videos aimed at tackling stigma and misinformation about sexually transmitted diseases.
Professor James Ward, a Pitjantjatjara and Nukunu man and director of UQ’s Pocket Center for Indigenous Health said Indigenous youth experience significantly higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood-borne viruses (BBV) than non-Indigenous youth.
Over the past decade, cases of STIs and BBV have increased significantly in Australia’s Indigenous communities, but testing rates have declined.
Between 2020 and 2022 Indigenous people aged 15 to 24 had the highest notification rates for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Our goal is to raise awareness so that people can make informed choices about their sexual health. »
Professor James Ward, a Pitjantjatjara and Nukunu man and director of UQ’s Poche Center for Indigenous Health
Professor Ward leads UQ initiative Young Deadly Free (YDF), which works to increase STI and BBV testing and treatment rates for Indigenous youth.
“We teamed up with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to create the YDF videos address themes of gender, sexuality, young men getting tested, pornography, stigma, shame and consent – and reinforce that STIs can affect everyone. , he said.
The Pocket Center for Indigenous Health at UQ has partnered with HERO to increase the availability of condoms in indigenous communities.
“We promote condom use to prevent STIs, HIV, unplanned pregnancies and BBV and improve health equity in the communities where our teams work,” Professor Ward said.
“We know that the health of our people will only improve when our crowd leads the way.
“That means ensuring that communities are driving the research agenda, that we’re helping our people become the future leaders in health research, that’s done. by us, for us, with us.
“It’s also about ensuring our research has a direct impact, creating real change and transforming health inequalities that have existed for too long.”
HERO CEO David Wommelsdorff said the partnership with UQ focuses on a shared vision to ensure sexual and reproductive health care is safe and accessible, with the aim of increasing condom use in rural and regional Australian communities.
“This partnership is truly exciting for HERO as we believe in the transformative potential of our one-for-one giving initiative to create a fairer and more equal society through sexual and reproductive healthcare,” said Wommelsdorff.
“HERO will kick off this partnership with a donation of 11,600 condoms, with a goal of donating 30,000 condoms this year alone, adding to the 2.36 million condoms donated to date worldwide.”
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