New sexual health campaign will encourage condom use

26 August 2004

The Ministry of Health is developing a sexual health campaign aimed at encouraging sexually active young people to protect themselves when having sex. With New Zealand’s rapidly growing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the campaign provides an exciting opportunity to promote safer sex messages and condom use.

The Ministry is working with a large group of key stakeholders in the sexual health sector to develop the campaign. These stakeholders include the Family Planning Association, the NZ Aids Foundation, Te Puawai Tapu, the NZ Prostitutes Collective, sexual health physicians and district health boards. These groups have provided invaluable input into the campaign to date.

We will also be seeking input from others with an involvement and interest in sexual health, and will be distributing regular campaign updates.

There have been no major public health campaigns addressing the risk of contracting STIs (including HIV/AIDS) for over a decade. Despite the good work undertaken by the sexual health sector during that time, rates of infection have risen dramatically with cases of chlamydia increasing by 65 percent and cases of gonorrhoea by 57 percent (diagnosed at sexual health clinics) over the past five years.

The new campaign will encourage young people who are sexually active to ‘always use a condom’. It will focus on youth 15 to 19 years of age, and in particular rangatahi Māori and Pacific young people. Parents and caregivers will also be a focus – it is important that they are aware of our rising STI rates and the impact this could have on their children.

It’s all about supporting the choices made by teens – whether that is to have sex, or to wait. Those who make the choice to have sex need protection if they are to be safe from STIs.

Campaign development is progressing well. In September, a number of concepts will be pretested with young people. Their reactions and feedback will guide the content of the TV commercials that will be developed. The tone of the campaign will be positive, reflective of the priority audiences’ language, credible, and non-judgemental.

Campaign information at a glance

• The overall goal of the campaign is to: Increase the practice of safer sex in order to reduce the incidence of STIs in 15-19 year old New Zealanders.

• The campaign is being funded by the Ministry of Health.

• Graham Strategic Ltd is assisting with development of the campaign. GSL is an advertising and communications company focusing on social marketing.

• The campaign will go to air on the week beginning 21 November 2004, and will finish at the end of February 2005.

• It will be aimed at 15 to 19 year olds.

• The campaign will have a particular focus on rangatahi Maori and Pacific youth.

• A range of media will be used including television, radio, websites, texting and magazines.

• The campaign message will also be promoted at youth events.