South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, 2017
This website is a one-stop shop for resources about STIs and BBVs. Rates of STIs and BBVs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been way too high for way too long – especially affecting young people in regional and remote communities.
It’s time to turn this around. This means making regular sexual health checks a normal part of life for sexually active young people – without stigma and without shame. We need to encourage people in remote communities to test for STIs and BBVs. This starts with educating people in remote communities about STIs and BBVs and getting whole communities involved in getting rates down.
These resources have been developed and collated by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute as part of two initiatives funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health:
- the Remote STI and BBV Project, Young, deadly, STI and BBV free
- the Young, deadly, syphilis free campaign
There are resources for young people in remote Aboriginal communities, as well as resources for parents, Elders, teachers and other community leaders – with tips on how the whole community can work with young people to encourage STI and BBV testing, and knockout STIs and BBVs.
SAHMRI is also developing resources for clinicians working in remote communities, providing links to testing and treatment guidelines and practical tips on engaging with young people on difficult topics such as sex, sexuality, and drug and alcohol use.