High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Sexual Health
Teenage conception rates in Scotland are amongst the highest in Western Europe and there has been little change in the rate of conception amongst those aged under 20 over the last ten years, with the rate fluctuating around 55 per 1,000. Although there has been a slight reduction in the overall rate of teenage conceptions amongst those aged under 16, from 8.2 per 1,000 in 1994 to 7.9 per 1,000 in 2008, rates in the most deprived areas are not falling as fast as those in more affluent areas.
Since 1996, there has been an upward trend in numbers of diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) clinics in Scotland. In 2009 there was some evidence of the beginning of a change in the trend although it is too early to confirm this. Note that these data do not present the full picture, as these do not include diagnoses made in settings other than GUM clinic.
Based on GUM clinic diagnoses, the incidence of Chlamydia infection in recent years has increased, from 1,770 in 1996 to 8,355 cases in 2009. It has been suggested that some of the increase is related to an improved awareness and to wider application of laboratory tests, but there is probably a genuine increase in the level of infection, particularly amongst young people.
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Source: Information Services NHS National Health Services Scotland
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