The future of tech health in the prevention of STIs

Technology is useful in all areas of life, with sexual health no exception. There is greater demand than ever for sexual health services; however, funding cuts mean that it is difficult for health providers to meet this demand. This is where tech could help.

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Resistant superbugs

New superbugs are arriving all the time, such as gonorrhoea that is resistant to drugs, while old diseases such as syphilis are resurfacing; in fact, the number of syphilis cases is the highest since 1949. Syphilis is an infectious disease that can cause serious problems if left untreated.

We now have more health tech at our disposal, so it makes sense to use this in our fight against STIs. In addition to convenience and functionality, health tech could help the funding crisis in the NHS by reducing the need for people to physically attend the clinics.

Inconvenience of clinics

There was an eight per cent reduction in the number of people getting tested for chlamydia between 2016 and 2017, despite a rising incidence of the disease. Clearly, something needs to be done to help people access the services they need.

People can find going to a clinic inconvenient and embarrassing, which is where tech can help. While people often don’t want to go to a clinic for a health discussion or for a test, they are more likely to do so if they can feel more anonymous or get the help they need online.

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Online medical advice

Being able to get kind and helpful advice from a medical professional online can be more convenient and less stressful. Online GPs can help people and save money for the NHS. Another way for tech to help people with their sexual health is in online testing kits; for example, people can obtain chlamydia testing kits London from services such as https://www.bexleysexualhealth.org/chlamydia_screening/. This will enable users to take a simple test from the convenience and comfort of their own home. The kit can then be sent back and people will receive their results online.

By using technology, we can open up medical help to more people, making it more convenient, more private and less intimidating. This means people are more likely to get tested and to get the help they need, protecting the population from disease.