A steady rise in Chlamydia and gonorrhoea was identified by the government. Among the 16-19 age groups there was a 53 per cent rise in rates of gonorrhoea and a 47 per cent rise in rates of Chlamydia between the years of 1995 and 1997.
There is some degree of concern in both these areas with Chlamydia being the single most preventable cause of infertility in women under 25’s age group is the most sexually and promiscuous age group and the government greatly invested in a national Chlamydia screening programme in order to screen and treat at least 15 per cent of age group.
Increases in diagnoses and treatments of other sexually transmitted infections as services actively seek out to test young people are a likely spin off from this programme.
The government now provides sex education lessons in secondary schools in order to inform young people about the risks of STI’s and pregnancies they also give out free condoms to young people in schools and some clinics.
Lung Cancer
Smoking and ill health has a link which now has been established and well documented.
‘’ Smoking is the single most important modifiable risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) in young and old. ‘’
(Our Healthier Nation Section 6.5)
There is 60 per cent less likely chance of having CHD and 30 per cent less likely to have a stroke if an individual is a life time non smoker compared to a smoker.
The lower social groups are more likely to smoke and smoking relates to other patterns of ill health and in the highest level occurs in the lower social groups.
Throughout all social groups, the age group of young people is similar, ‘’ by the mid 30’s, 50 per cent of young people from higher social classes have stopped as opposed to only 25 per cent from the lowest income groups. ‘’ (Stretch, Whitehouse (2007) Health and Social Care Book 2).
One third of the smoker population are concentrated in the lowest 10 per cent of earners in the country is a direct result of this.
Most lung cancers are caused by smoking, nose, throat and cervical cancer is also implicated in a variety of cancers.
Smoking attributes to about one third of deaths due to cancer.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke deaths and is also contributed by smoking.
Also there are warnings on the cigarette boxes informing people of the risks of cancer developing and there are adverts from the NHS about no smoking classes and real life victims of cancer talking about smoking.
