With the start of the academic year, the Department of Health is encouraging international students to view a short sexual health video series that aims to help new arrivals stay healthy and well.
The Be Safe, Stay Well videos were developed by the Department in consultation with international students from a range of countries.
The first three videos cover information about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), safe sex, and health services and costs. A fourth video looks at legal aspects of sex including consent, sexual violence and personal safety.
“It is natural to have questions about health matters, including sexual health, especially if you’re away from your family and living in a new culture,” WA Health Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Program Manager Lisa Bastian said.
“We know that sexual health can be a difficult topic to discuss for people from some cultures and backgrounds and we hope these videos will help make these discussions a little easier.”
Ms Bastian said many international students may be unaware of the risks of sexually transmitted infections in Australia.
“Chlamydia is common among young people in Western Australia,” she said.
“In the year to September 2017 there were nearly 12,000 reported cases of chlamydia and 52 per cent of these were in people aged 15 to 24 years of age.
“In the Perth area, cases of gonorrhoea among people aged 20 to 29 years of age have more than tripled in the past five years, and increased by 53 per cent in the past 12 months.
“The videos are a great starting point for any international students wanting practical information about available health services.”
The videos are narrated by young people from across the world, and have information about common health concerns such how to see a doctor, what overseas health insurance will cover, where to get information about contraception, STIs or pregnancy, or where to get help if you’re sexually assaulted.
Watch the videos on the HealthyWA website (external site).
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