Sexual risk and healthcare seeking behaviour in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in North Queensland

Abstract

Background Compared with non-Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have higher rates of sexually transmissible infections (STI). The identification of the sexual risk and healthcare seeking behaviours of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a regional Australian setting was sought. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 155 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (16–24 years) in Townsville was conducted. Results: Most participants (83%) reported ever having had sex, with a median age of 15 years at first sex and a range from 9 to 22 years. While young men reported more sexual partners in the last 12 months than young women, they were also more likely to report condom use at the last casual sex encounter (92% vs 68%, P = 0.006). Young women were significantly more likely than young men to report never carrying condoms (35% vs 16%); however, they were more likely to have had STI testing (53% vs 28%, P = 0.004). Of those reporting previous STI testing, 29% reported ever being diagnosed with an STI. Conclusions: The sample of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reported an early age at first sex, variable condom use and low uptake of STI testing. The high prevalence of self-reported STI diagnoses indicate a need for opportunistic sexual health education and efforts designed to promote the uptake of STI screening in this group.