THURSDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) -- One-fifth of young travelers from the United Kingdom find sexual partners while overseas, and are putting themselves at increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, according to a report published online Nov. 8 in Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Catherine H. Mercer, Ph.D., of University College London in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a study of 12,110 men and women aged 16 to 44 years to ascertain information on travel, sexual behavior, socio-demographics, health and attitudes.
For the sample as a whole, 13.9 percent of men and 7.1 percent of women said they had a new sexual partner while overseas, but for those aged 16 to 24 the figures were 23 percent for men and 17 percent for women. The majority of reported partners were from the United Kingdom or other European countries. Those who had new sexual partners overseas had a higher number of partners, got more sexually transmitted infections and got tested for HIV more frequently. Men in this group were also more likely to pay for sex.
"Greater attention should be paid to sexual health promotion for travelers abroad, especially young travelers, emphasizing the risks of new sexual relationships with compatriots as well as those from other countries in terms of sexually transmitted infections/HIV acquisition and onwards transmission," the authors conclude.
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