The young Laurentians champions of chlamydia

Photo Dave Parent
Éric Goyer, Doctor

Dave Parent

Saturday, 24 march, 2018 01:00

UPDATE
Saturday, 24 march, 2018 01:00

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The Laurentians are grappling with a sharp increase in cases of chlamydia among young people, and the authorities believe they need to change the strategy to counter it.

Not less than 64 % of new cases of chlamydia identified in the Laurentians are found among young people 15 to 24 years, concerned about the Direction of public Health.

“We are the champions of the incidence of chlamydia [among young people], and the major infections of syphilis and gonorrhea are increasing in the region,” said Dr. Éric Goyer, director of public health for the Laurentians.

Drug, alcohol and tobacco

The number of Quebecers who are sexually active have contracted chlamydia amounted to 3 % in Quebec, but nearly 60 % of the reported cases affecting young people 15 to 24 years, according to the statistics of 2016, the most recent available.

According to data collected by public Health to young people in the Laurentides would be more likely to experiment with drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or sex than those of the other regions of Québec, which could have an impact on the statistics.

Sex education

The absence of sex education in schools for years may have also played a role in the number of cases of chlamydia among young people.

“Nature has horror of the vacuum, so the young people went to seek information where it is located, and often, this is the internet, so pornography, and I think it had a role,” adds Dr. Goyer.

Public Health, Laurentides recognizes that it must change its approach to engage young people.

She believes that talking about sexuality only in terms of infections or diseases is no longer the best strategy. The organization now intends to approach the subject of sexuality in all its aspects.

Late

“I think that we have not found the key or that it is behind in terms of communication. Young people know very well express, but there is something in our speech that it’s not just the look. There are other areas where they are highly permeable to other influences [like video games], ” said Dr. Goyer.

Other solutions are also envisaged in order to reverse the trend.

“If we remove the irritants compared to the screening with tests that are more accessible, having services closer, more opening hours, it might help,” says Annie-Claude Fafard, planning officer, programming and research to the public Health of the Laurentians.

– In collaboration with mylog.ca