The one thing you DON’T want for Christmas is a sexually transmitted disease! Contributor Natika Halil, Chief Executive of FPA.
One-in-ten Brits admit to having caught an STI from a colleague or know someone who has; one in 5 admit to having sex with a colleague at the office Christmas party; Over 12 percent have picked up an STI from a colleague or know someone who has 13 percent of people confessed they wouldn’t tell the colleague they hooked up with that they had caught an STI and 29 percent of people admitted they would NOT be worried about contracting chlamydia from a casual sexual encounter, despite it being the UKs most common STI
A new survey of 2,000 UK office workers reveals that nearly 20 percent of Brits have had a sexual encounter with a colleague at the office Christmas party, with 1 in 10 admitting they have picked up a sexually transmitted infection (STI), or know someone who has, from a co-worker.1 The research comes as part of an awareness campaign from the UK’s leading independent health platform, Patient.info, supported by the sexual health charity FPA to highlight the risk of STIs during the party season.
The survey found that men are 30 percent more likely than women to have had a sexual encounter at the office Christmas party and are 40 percent more likely to have caught an STI from a colleague. The research also revealed that 18-24 year olds are nearly 6 times more likely to have caught an STI from a colleague than 45-54 year olds, yet the survey also found 55-65 year olds to be the most likely group to have hooked up with a colleague or know someone who has. Moreover, when it comes to having that awkward conversation, a shocking 13 percent of people confessed they wouldn’t tell the colleague in question if they caught an STI. 13 percent would tell a manager or another colleague if they caught an STI from a co-worker, 8 percent would tell HR and 4 percent would speak to someone in their company’s legal team.
“STIs are hugely prevalent in the UK, with over 400,000 new cases being diagnosed each year in the UK”, said Dr. Sarah Jarvis, GP and Clinical Director of Patient.info: “It’s important that people know how to take the right precautions and limit their risks, especially with party season ahead. Interestingly, only 17 percent of people will go online to search for information about STIs, but it is important to remember that websites like Patient.info offer a wealth of clinically-accredited information and advice on how to keep your sexual health in-check, at any time of year, not just Christmas.”
The survey from patient.info was conducted to explore the UKs awareness and attitudes towards STIs and highlight where further education needs to be provided. The survey findings found that many people did not understand the prevalence and risk of specific STIs, for example:
29 percent of people would not be worried about contracting chlamydia from a casual sexual encounter, despite it being the UKs most common STI
25 percent of people would not be worried about contracting HIV from a casual sexual encounter.
Natika Halil, Chief Executive of FPA, commented, “Whilst the festive season is always a great time to let your hair down, it’s important that people remain aware of the risk of unprotected sex. We would advise anyone who has had unprotected sex with a colleague or someone else to get tested for STIs as soon as possible. Additionally, if unplanned pregnancy is a risk, it’s best to try and get emergency contraception as soon as possible.”
Six surprising facts about STIs:
There are more than 25 different types of STIs. STIs are most common in younger females (aged 16 – 24) and younger males (aged 16 – 34) but are sharply on the rise amongst older age groups (aged 50 – 70), with incidence increasing by more than a third over the last decade
Some STIs, including gonorrhoea and chlamydia, don’t always have symptoms but can affect fertility – infections can still be passed on even if you have no symptoms 200,000 people a year in the UK test positive for chlamydia. Many STIs are spread through contact with infected body fluids such as blood, vaginal fluids, or semen. They can also be spread through contact with infected skin or mucous membranes, such as sores in the mouth. Although protection (such as using condoms) can lower the risk of acquiring an STI, they can’t completely prevent it
Top 5 friskiest regions in the UK – percentage of people who admit to having a sexual encounter at the office Christmas party:
Northern Ireland – 27 percent
Yorkshire & Humber – 21 percent
Scotland – 21 percent
South East – 19 percent
North East – 19 percent
Least frisky region in the UK – percentage of people who admit to having a sexual encounter at the office Christmas party:1
East Midlands – 9.5 percent
Top 5 regions who admit to having caught an STI from a colleague or know someone who has:
West Midlands – 20 percent
Northern Ireland – 17 percent
South East – 15 percent
North West – 14 percent
London – 13 percent
UK region with lowest number of people who admitted catching an STI from a colleague or knowing someone who has: South West – 6 percent
If you have had unprotected sex or are worried about symptoms, the advice from patient.info and FPA is that you should always get yourself tested at a sexual health clinic or speak to a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
For more information on STIs visit: https://patient.info/health/sexually-transmitted-infections-leaflet and https://sexwise.fpa.org.uk/stis. The clinical information provided to the general public by Patient.info and FPA is certified to meet NHS England’s Information Standard.
