Youth Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Prevention and Education Services

The Department of Health requires the provision of youth sexual health and blood-borne virus (BBV) prevention and education services.

Young people under the age of 30 have been identified as a priority group in the Australian Government Fourth National Sexually Transmissible Infections (STI) Strategy 2018-22 as well as previous and current Western Australian STI and BBV Strategies.

In 2021, young people continue to make up a high proportion of STIs in WA. There are a variety of factors that put them at high risk of STIs and BBVs such as lack of knowledge and awareness, lack of access to prevention and testing, and social barriers to achieving positive sexual health outcomes such as fear and stigmatisation.

The importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to optimise their health and wellbeing and improve health literacy is also identified as a priority in the WA Youth Health Policy 2018-2023 (the youth policy). The youth policy identifies priority youth populations who are at higher risk of poor health and wellbeing, greater barriers to access, and/or higher health risk behaviours, which include the keysubpopulations of young people as identified in the strategy.

Young people in key subpopulations are a particular focus of this community service. As identified as a priority in the youth policy, this service also recognises that young people are diverse with distinct and specific health needs, and young people will be engaged in the development and delivery of the prevention and education services.