The Better2Know Blog

With increasing numbers of STDs and unplanned pregnancies, the use of condoms is still low in the UK.  Many people are embarrassed to talk about it (but seemingly ok to get naked),with excuses ranging from “it doesn’t feel the same” to ” do I look like I have and STD to you?”

Better2Know is proud to announce that it will be supporting the Terrence Higgins Trust for the two weeks around World AIDS Day 2012.

Terrence Higgins Trust announces England’s first National HIV Testing Week for gay men staring today.

A new test designed to classify tonsil and throat cancers into one of two groups should help deliver the right treatment to the right patients, according to research being presented at the NCRI Cancer Conference in Liverpool earlier this month.

Hepatitis B is an acute infection which can be transmitted sexually.  It is a highly infectious virus that is passed on through blood contact, but can continue to live at room temperature for four days, unlike the HIV virus which cannot live outside the body for more than a few seconds.

A new photography exhibition by Edo Zollo is opening today in London, in this blog, Edo tells us a bit more about his inspiration for the project:

The use of smartphones is associated with an increased likelihood of being solicited for sex on the Internet, and having sex with an internet-met partner among teens, according to new research released today at the American Public Health Association’s 140th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

The pill is now the contraceptive method of choice for many teenage girls rather than a condom. This includes those under the legal age of consent, with 41% choosing the pill and 36% choosing condoms, with a quarter of all fifteen year olds visiting clinics where they know they can receive the pill.

When was the last time you discussed sexual health with your friends?  It may depend on your age, the younger you are the more likely you are to go with your friends, after a summer holiday and as part of the ritual everyone gets tested together.

The short answer is: no it is not, and it does not just affect women.

There are lots of ways to test for Chlamydia.  If you are not sure which test you have had then please check with your doctor.

A new test is being developed that will identify markers of both HIV and prostate cancer.

It is clear to see that HIV gets less media attention than it did during the first few years of the UK Aids epidemic, but it is far from an issue of the past. Since the epidemic broke out in the 1980’s nearly 30 million people have died from Aids-related causes.

Getting an STI check-up is a good idea because:

Northern Ireland’s first abortion clinic (which opened last month) continues to attract controversy.  Queries have been raised over its roles and the regulation of the facility operated by Marie Stopes, which is now going to be subject to a review and inquiry by Northern Ireland’s Justice Committee.

A new morning after pill that can be taken up to 5 days after sexual intercourse is being trialled in Plymouth. The traditional morning after pill needs to be taken within 72 hours of having sexual intercourse.

British Women are hitting their sexual peak at 35 a new report says, with more women than ever scoring themselves highly in their performance and giving themselves 10 out of 10.

There are two main types of HIV test available in the UK today: 4th generation and 3rd generation HIV tests.  (The 1st and 2nd generation tests have now been superseded by more accurate tests).

Worried parents have expressed concerns that giving their 12 to 13 year old daughters the HPV vaccine will encourage them to have sex earlier.  A new study has found that this is not the case.

The new BBC3 series “Unsafe Sex in the City” is on Wednesday nights at 9pm and is a behind the scenes look at an NHS GUM clinic in Manchester.

Many young men now admit to taking Viagra, even when they are just hoping they might “get lucky”.  They report that the drug makes them feel aroused and they feel more confident because of this.

From 1 April 2013, the NHS will no longer be responsible for sexual health screening (including Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis) testing and treatment of standard cases.  This responsibility is shifting to Local Authorities, although the NHS will be responsible for HIV testing and treatment.  This split of duties is likely to lead to confusion with the possibility that in some areas patients will have to go to two different places with different appointment times in order to get a full range of tests.

The amount of STIs in the UK is at an all-time high with almost half a million new cases in the last year alone.

For years the talk of male contraception has centered around women saying “I’d never trust him to take it”. The male “pill” is now a step closer.  An injection which stops sperm from being able to swim as far has been developed.

A woman has told a court of  when she told her previous sexual partner that he may have infected her with HIV.  It is alleged that Leslie Pringle  had unprotected sex often with the woman despite knowing he was HIV positive.  Pringle is on trial for Grevious Bodily Harm for deliberately infecting someone with the HIV virus.

A group of Researchers at the University of Colorado have found that a site aimed at teenagers encouraging safer sex has decreased their chances of catching an STD.

Apart from the obvious fun advantages of a sex toy, you may also think that at least it is the one “partner” that won’t cheat on you, won’t snore and never even touches the loo seat…. and they won’t give you an STD.  Right?  Well probably, but not always.  As long as your toy remains faithful to you and you clean it thoroughly after any infection then you should be safe.

However sharing a sex toy with your partner (or a friend) means that yes it can transfer an STI if not cleaned properly.  Experts recommend using a condom on it (which also helps with lube) as some of the toys are made of materials where bacteria and viruses can live.

They normally come with special cleaning fluid/ wipes and these are essential to use to prevent infection with a shared toy.  Toys made out of glass are more easily sterilised than those made out of plastic or rubber.

Toys which can draw blood (whips, needles, restraints) can pass many infections including STIs and so their use is to be regarded as high risk if you do not know who else has used them.

If you think your vibrator may have given you an STI, Better2Know can help get you a private STD test at any of our national clinics.

The British HIV Association (BHIVA), the body that represents HIV care professionals, said that patients with HIV are being denied longer life expectancies because they are being diagnosed too late: up to 1 in 4 people who test positive for HIV could have been diagnosed earlier.  GPs are missing the signs of HIV related illnesses in their patients who report ill health.

If I responded to this question with anything other than, of course I’d choose not to have genital herpes, you would think I’m lying. Not only would that response sound contrived, you’d stop reading and move along to a post that is actually realistic. However, I must warn you, there’s a huge BUT to my answer. You had to know that was coming, right? The deal is, if I could change only one thing about my past, genital herpes wouldn’t be my choice. If I could go back and change a couple things and take away my genital herpes, I’d do that too, because it’s a nuisance. However, I’d only take back having genital herpes if it didn’t erase all of the positive things that have come about as a result of having it. That is why I have to carefully answer a question like that, because answering requires a more detailed explanation than a simple yes or no affords.