Don't get caught out by the tide - or the odd STD!
Badly behaved backpackers are doing more than just taking in the sights, they’re also picking up some unwanted hitchhikers in the form of sexually transmitted diseases.
Research recently released by the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2009, details a study that targeted more than 430 backpackers picked at random from hostels all over Australia and quizzed them on their sexual activities and drinking habits as well as testing them for Chlamydia.
The volunteers were roughly an equal number of men and women aged between 18 and 30, with 40% of those questioned hailing from the UK. The research revealed that some backpackers’ taste for adventure spread beyond their backpacks and into the bedroom.
Binge drinking among backpackers was found to be commonplace, with 33% of men and 28% of women regularly drinking more than double the recommended intake of alcohol.
It seems that they couldn’t wait for their adventures to start either, as 31% of men had a sexual relationship en route to Australia! This was often in Asia, but alarmingly only about 60% used a condom.
Once in Australia, a high percentage of backpackers had a new sexual partner (64% of men and 53% of women), with men having, on average, 2.8 sexual partners every 3 months and women just under 2.
But a lot of those backpackers discovered that they were carrying much more than just their rucksacks, with the number being tested positive for Chlamydia being higher than the national average.
3.9% of the female backpackers tested had the disease, compared to 3.1% of men. But a further 10.1% of females reported having it previously, with 7.6% of men saying the same.
Dr Davies, medical director at the Northern Sydney Health Service said the results were worrying: “If you add the past proportion to the current you have an “ever� Chlamydia figure of … 10.7% for the men, and 14% for the women.�
“This is in men and women who have an average age of 23 to 24, so it’s fairly high.�
Chlamydia is a real problem in Australia, with more than 58,400 cases in 2008 alone. And it’s not just confined to humans either, koalas are also suffering from the effects of Chlamydia, with some areas experiencing infected populations of up to 98%. Sam, the koala who was famously rescued from the Australian bushfires by a firefighter last February, died last month because of complications brought on by Chlamydia.
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that can have serious repercussions for women. The symptoms are often mild or even absent altogether, meaning that many people are not even aware that they have it. If left untreated it can cause infertility in women.
So the news is, if you’re planning on travelling to Australia, make sure your backpack is packing some condoms! Check out LoveHoney for a superb collection of condoms, and anything else that might tickle your fancy!
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