How high is too high? Data analysis on the rates of STIs/BBV, terminations and unplanned pregnancies among international students in Australia.

Ms Aditi Sharma1, Ms Alison Coelho2, Dr Masha Mikola3

1Center For Culture, Ethnicity And Health , Richmond, Australia, 2Center For Culture, Ethnicity And Health , Richmond, Australia, 3Center For Culture, Ethnicity And Health , Richmond, Australia

In recent years, there has been an alarming concern regarding sexual health problems including high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and unplanned pregnancies among international students in Australia. International students are at great risk of being exposed to sexual health risks due to a variety of reasons including limited prior knowledge around sexual and reproductive health and sexual negotiation, and increased risk-taking behaviour. Difficulty in accessing sexual health information and navigating through the health systems also leads to adverse sexual health outcomes.

To tackle these issues, the International Student’s Sexual Health Network (ISSHN) which is convened by the Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health (CEH) was established in 2015 to provide an opportunity for professionals working in the field who are addressing issues related to the sexual health of international students to share information in research, policy and practice and also promote the sexual health and wellbeing of international students. This paper discusses the alarming increase in STIs/BBVs, unplanned pregnancies and terminations for international students in Australia. The hospital records and insurance providers have stated that the number of terminations among international students have been ‘high’ from (Burchard, N, & Laurence, 2009). Research shows that international students are most likely to get pregnant within the first 12 months of arrival in Australia (Burchard et al., 2009; Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health, 2013; Poljski et al., 2014). Furthermore, research also shows that approximately a third of HIV infected person in Australia who are Medicare-ineligible are students on international students visas (Petoumenos, 2015).


Biography:

Alison has worked in local government developing and implementing the first prevention based Health & Wellbeing Plan in the State with the Diversity Strategy, Reconciliation Policies and a Women’s Health Initiative. Prior to this she spent more than a decade in the community sector in refugee policy development, advocacy, regional coordination and direct service in metropolitan Melbourne. Alison is a sitting member of the Victorian Ministerial Blood Borne Viruses Advisory Committee, a member of the Victorian Hepatitis B Alliance (VHBA) and Board member of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO).  She is the founding member and Chair of the new Australian Multicultural Alliance on Sexual Health (AMASH).

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