The Sexual Health Centre Published its Annual Report for 2018
Cork, Co. Cork, July 16, 2019 – The Sexual Health Centre, Cork, published its annual report, with figures indicating a significant rise in public demand for sexual health services, counselling and support. The report also revealed a 1.5-fold increase in queries about STI screening compared to 2017 and a 104% increase in demand for post-termination counselling.
In 2018, the Sexual Health Centre saw a 13% increase in client queries compared to 2017. Most common queries concerned access to free contraception, followed by requests for STI screening. Ciarán Lynch, Chairperson at the Sexual Health Centre noted that “Numbers attending for sexual health, crisis pregnancy, HIV, sexuality and relationship advice continues to increase highlighting the community need for high quality, professional and inclusive services”.
The Sexual Health Centre provides a range of services in relation to sexual health, crisis pregnancy, post-termination, HIV, healthy relationships and free condom provision.
In relation to counselling support, last year the centre facilitated 385 counselling sessions on the topic of crisis pregnancy. Requests for related counselling and support increased by 37% compared to 2017, with post-termination counselling seeing an increase of 104%. In addition, the centre continued to provide support and counselling for people living with or affected by HIV, with 479 counselling sessions in total. More than a half of people who availed of the service were between the age of 24 and 35. The centre also conducted over 800 free Rapid HIV tests (results available in 1 minute) on-site and in community settings across Cork city and county.
In total, 2,822 people enquired about STI screening at our centre in 2018, indicating a 68% increase compared to the year before. The centre continues to offer an out of hours STI screening service one night a week at its premises on Peters Street, Cork city.
The Sexual Health Centre continued to evolve and develop new initiatives in 2018 that reflected and enhanced the existing work being carried out in the area of sexual health, including sexual health advice and counselling for young LGBTI+ people and capacity building for professionals to increase their confidence when dealing with sexual health issues. The services were made available through DCYA capacity building grants.
The foundation to our service delivery model is based on partnership. Throughout the year we collaborated with statutory and non-statutory agencies to support the sexual health needs of people in Cork. As advocates for positive social change, the Sexual Health Centre also made a number of policy submissions throughout the year in relation to relationship and sexual education.
For 2019, the Sexual Health Centre, with its new 5-year strategic plan 2019-2023, commits to the further development of its services to reflect the growing sexual health needs of the Cork community.
Read the full report here
