Everyone has the right to good sexual health, the right to make healthy choices about our sexual relationships and the right to free and confidential access to sexual health services.

On this page we hope to give you lots of information and advice about contraception, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/ AIDS) and other sexual health issues to help you to make your sex life safer, healthier and happier.

By Mirriam C. M'cheleka ( Mrs) – Sexual Health Peer Educator

We all need to be committed in the support of African communities about sexual health and in particular to the reduction of HIV/AIDS infections. Africans make up 1% of the UK population but 34% of all people living with HIV in the UK

Good support, especially from closest family members and friends is a very important contribution to help people to have good sexual health and to live positively and healthily.

“Lets Talk HIV – Lets Talk Safer Sex ” slogan should be promoted so that people can start talking about HIV/AIDS like any other infectious disease.

There are many different methods of contraception available to women (and men) to help with birth control. Different methods will suit different people at different times in their lives.

The most effective contraceptives are the ones that are ‘long lasting’ and do not rely on a pill being taken every day or a condom being used every time you have sex. These long acting contraceptives include the contraceptive injection, the contraceptive implant or the hormone coil.

You can get free contraception and advice from most GPs or from the Sheffield Contraception and Sexual Health Service which is on Mulberry Street in Sheffield city centre.

But remember, whilst most types of contraception are effective at preventing pregnancy they will not provide protection against sexually transmitted infections. It may, in addition, be advisable to use condoms or femidoms (the female condom) as well.

 Download our leaflet Contraception Choices by clicking here

HIV  (Human Immuno-deficiency Virus) is still around and continues to be a serious threat to the health of all people, but the African community has been particularly affected by this virus. New diagnoses of HIV infection in the UK continue to disproportionately affect the African community. And it’s not just people in London that this affects, men and women from African communities living in Sheffield are also becoming infected every year  

There is still no cure or vaccine for HIV, but there are treatments that are available which are proving extremely effective in controlling the level of virus in an infected person’s body, helping people stay well for longer and preventing them developing fatal illnesses that are associated with an AIDS diagnosis.

In fact, in the UK, HIV is now regarded as a lifelong chronic illness rather than the ‘death sentence’ it was seen as when HIV was first discovered. The life expectancy for someone newly diagnosed with HIV is now probably the same as for everyone else. The important things here are an early diagnosis of HIV infection with the correct treatments given at the appropriate time.

 Download our leaflet HIV – Do You Know the Facts by clicking here

Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Warts and Crabs – these and many other infections can all be passed on sexually. At best, they can cause discomfort, embarrassment and irritation. If left undetected or untreated, however, they can have long-term damaging effects on our health  - bad news!

But there is good news. Most STIs can easily be treated and cured if diagnosed early enough.

For men and women who are sexually active, having a regular sexual health check-up at a GUM or other sexual health clinic can help make sure that any infection you may pick up is detected early and treated.

Download our leaflet STIs – Do You Know the Facts by clicking here

Women are generally better at looking after their health than men. And this includes their sexual health. It may be easier to discuss issues around contraception, but maybe more difficult to talk with a doctor or other health professional about any problems we are having with our sex life. Whether this is beacuase the sex you are having is painful or that you notice changes in and around your genital area, it is very important to get this checked out as soon as possible.

It maybe that you have an infection like cystitis or bacterial vaginosis that can easily be treated with the right medication. Or it could be something more serious like cervical or brest cancer. The sooner these conditions are detected the better the prognosis for treatment and cure.

When we talk about sexual health, we often focus on HIV and other STIs, but there are a number of other illness and issues that can affect men’s sexual health. These can include erectile dysfunction (finding it difficult to get or keep an erection), testicular problems and other infections affecting the genital or anal area.

Many men find it difficult to talk about anything that affects their sex life - especially with their GP or other health worker. Yet early diagnosis and treatment is vital for health problems like testicular and prostate cancer.

Just worrying about a sexual health problem or hoping that things will get better by themselves won’t help. If you have any concerns or worries about your sexual health go see a doctor, talk to them, show them the problem and get it sorted.

The sooner you do, the sooner you can get back to having a better and worry free sex life!

Basically, sex should be pleasurable and fun! Knowing that you are looking after your body by protecting you and your partner (or partners) from sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/AIDS) can take away some of the worries about sex so that you can relax and enjoy it more!

Using a condom (with a water based lubricant) during sex is the best way to prevent many sexually transmitted infections. Flavoured condoms are also available to use for oral sex.

Condoms and lubricant are available free for people in Sheffield from the following places:

• GUM Clinic @ the Hallamshire Hospital
• Sheffield Contraceptive and Sexual Health Clinic on Mulberry Street
• From some GPs
• Centre for HIV and Sexual Health – www.sexualhealthsheffield.nhs.uk
• From us by post – fill in the order form on the ‘free condom pack ’ page