Adult Health Checks: Sexually transmitted infections

Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and their sequelae are extremely common in the CARPA STM region. There are important regional variations in the rates of infection. In general terms, rates are higher in remote communities compared to towns, although there are remote communities with low rates of infections and there are subgroups of people living in towns with very high rates. While rates of infection amongst non-Aboriginal people in the CARPA STM region are higher than the national average, rates amongst Aboriginal people are very much higher.2 It has been hypothesised that this relates to lack of access to education and health care rather than substantial differences in sexual behaviour.1 While incidence rates provide a picture of high rates of infection, prevalence information provides a different perspective and one that is more pertinent to the primary health care level. In many communities, a very high proportion of individuals are affected by these infections. As a result, in these populations, unprotected sex carries a high risk o