A new State Government advertising campaign is aiming to remind young people living in the Hunter New England Health region of the importance of regular testing for Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs) as the rate of Chlamydia notifications continues to rise.

The Get Tested, Play Safe campaign would aim to lower the rates of STIs, in particular Chlamydia, among young people aged under 25 years.

The $1.5 million Get Tested, Play Safe campaign would involve a range of media including TV, print, online and washroom advertising, along with a dedicated website http://www.gettested.com.au.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the campaign aimed to increase young people’s awareness of STI testing and treatment and, importantly, remind them to always use condoms.

“STI rates other than HIV have risen sharply in NSW, with Chlamydia notifications increasing from 3,489 cases in 2000 to 13,994 cases in 2008. 

“In part the increase is due to additional testing however it also indicates increased numbers of infections,” Dr Chant said.

“The increase in Chlamydia notifications has been seen primarily in young heterosexual people living across NSW (in metropolitan Sydney and rural NSW).

“STIs affect people’s health, wellbeing and relationships while they also, along with HIV, place a significant economic burden on individuals, populations and the health system.

The campaign’s theme ‘Sleeping with one is sleeping with many’ brought the message to life and the tagline Get Tested, Play Safe  was a call to action to the target audience.

In October 2008, NSW Health established an expert advisory committee made up of medical experts and young people to help oversee the development and implementation of the Get Tested, Play Safe campaign.

In many cases, a test for an STI is a simple urine sample and treatment is a short course of antibiotics, and GPs are well placed to deal with these issues.

See your doctor for an STI check every time you change regular partners. You don’t have to talk to everyone about STIs – just talk to your doctor and possibly get tested.

The Get Tested, Play Safe campaign will run until the end of October.

Contact: Tanya Carlyle, Communication Officer

Phone: (02) 49 392 602