STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) are major public health concerns worldwide. These diseases can tend to seriously impact the health and the well-being of affected patients and their families. Such illnesses also cause a significant strain on the national health services program while becoming very costly to manage. STDs and STIs are such diseases that there could be a reluctance on the part of the patient to come forward and get checked immediately on contracting it. If STDs and STIs are left undiagnosed or untreated, it could cause severe complications with resulting long-term health consequences. It could also cause cardiovascular and neurological damage, depending on severity and type.
Among the most commonly found STD/STIs are chlamydia, first episode genital warts, gonorrhoea and first-episode genital herpes. Among these, gonorrhoea and syphilis have become more significant health issues due to their commonality. It is found that these became common due to an increase in risk caused by behavioural patterns, which included sexual activity without protection, or an increase in sexual activity between new and casual partners. Post the testing and diagnosis, treatment with aciclovir tablets was found to be effective in most of the cases.
STD Growth – A Concern
Since the past few years, the overall number of new STD infections in the UK has grown. This is a significant concern. There has been a continued climb in the number of STD diagnosed cases. This clearly shows some semblance of awareness, and patients seem to be coming forward to get themselves tested for proper diagnosis and treatment. While this is a very good trend, the National Health Service (NHS) needs to look at this with a need for urgent action. Among the many tangible steps the NHS takes in the UK is to ensure the timely and accurate diagnosis of STIs and STDs. While some parts of the world may not have full coverage and access to the best and appropriate diagnostic means, there is an effort to treat STIs based on symptoms as a quick first approach.
The UK now has some of the most modern and rapid STD testing procedures and kits which could significantly reduce the gap in time taken from testing and diagnoses to treatment. Doing this has helped reduce the disease’s infective force and helped control the transmission rate. The health services are constantly educating people to understand the importance of testing and diagnosis.
STD Point-of-care Test
A point-of-care STD test provides relevant information about the details of the contraction of the disease. This helps create a proper transmission risk mitigation plan. It also helps implement the appropriate treatment regimen based on the efficacy expected from the medication. Therefore, until such a proven technology is not available, such recorded information for treatment guidelines will have to be relied on for medication efficacy and disease resistance patterns. The ultimate goal in the fight against STDs would be to develop an effective vaccine. However, in-time testing and diagnosis will remain important factors to achieve even that.
To overcome hurdles and open out the testing and diagnosing facilitation for all, the authorities decentralised the Health and Social Care Act, through which sexual health no longer remained commissioned by the NHS. It was handed to the local authorities (on the ground) in various parts of the country, which received public health budgets to provide adequate sexual health care to the people. This expanded the coverage and increased the number of tested and diagnosed patients. On cue with that and moving forward, STD and STI testing and diagnosis rates and attendance figures started getting monitored very closely to ensure no further deterioration, which could create adverse risks on public health outcomes. Unfortunately, there is still prevalent stigma surrounding STDs and STIs, which disproportionately affects the vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Awareness Through Education
While prevention of STDs and STIs is the key to achieving good sexual health outcomes, regular education of the masses, especially the younger generations, could eventually reduce the risk of harmful sexual health outcomes while encouraging healthy behaviours. Education, contraceptive use, testing, diagnosis, and treatment are the main components of the interventions program and are vital in preventing and controlling STDs and STIs.
While the prime responsibility for prevention is considered to be resting with the local health authorities, it is up to the public to work collaboratively with the public health departments and the local health services to ensure health initiatives, especially the prevention and control of STDs and STIs.
