Lloydspharmacy Reveals Young Women Becoming More Sexually Active

Released on: March 24, 2010, 9:26 am
Author: Lloydspharmacy
Industry: Healthcare

According to new figures released by the sexual health team at Lloydspharmacy*, today's women have three times more sexual partners by the time they reach 24 than women of their grandmothers' generation had by the same age.

The sexual health team's results show that young women today have an average of 5.65 different sexual partners by the time they are 24. By contrast women of their grandmothers' generation had an average of 1.67 and women of their mothers' generation had 3.72 sexual partners by the same age.

Looking back over the decades since the War and the end of rations, the research shows that young women in the supposedly 'Swinging Sixties' had the least number of different sexual partners whilst young women in the 'Noughties' had the most.

Cancer Research UK statistics show that incidence rates of cervical cancer in women under the age of 25 have not decreased despite better screening**. Lloydspharmacy believes the increase in the number of sexual partners could be one reason why.

The last ten years have seen significant decreases in cervical cancer cases in women in older age groups but worryingly, diagnoses of the infection in women under the age of 25 have not followed the same trend**.

The community pharmacy chain is urging women of all age groups to get themselves protected against the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection and one of the major causes of cervical cancer***.

"HPV infections are very common, especially in younger people", said Clare Kerr, Lloydspharmacy's head of sexual health. "If you are sexually active the cervical cancer vaccinations is one of the most effective ways to prevent infection with high risk forms of HPV."

Women can receive cervical cancer vaccinations at 240 Lloydspharmacy branches throughout the UK. Other sexual health services available at Lloydpsharmacy branches or through the Online Doctor services on the website include genital Chlamydia and genital gonorrhea treatment.

Key research* insights for women between the ages of 18 and 24:
2000-2009 - women averaged over five different sexual partners, with 8% claiming to have had more than ten different partners
1990-1999 - women averaged under five different sexual partners
1980-1989 - 24% of women had three to five different sexual partners by the time they reached 24
1970-1979 - 24% of women had two to four different sexual partners by the age of 24
1960-1969 - almost 50 per cent had only one sexual partner by the age of 24

Notes to editors

References
* Research conducted by ICM among 3001 adults over the weekend of 6 - 7 February 2010
** Cancer Research UK. Cervical cancer - UK incidence statistics. 19 May 2009
*** Cancer Research UK. Cervical cancer risks and causes. 16 Oct 2009.

About Lloydspharmacy
Lloydspharmacy has around 1700 pharmacies across the UK. These are based predominantly in community and health centre locations. The company employs over 17,000 staff and dispenses over 145 million prescription items annually.

Lloydspharmacy which is a community pharmacy has primary care at the heart of its business. This is why it has launched a range of products aimed at improving community health such as affordable blood pressure monitors and allergy relievers, as well as a suite of convenient professional health check services including free blood pressure and diabetes testing, and cholesterol and heart checks in the comfort of a private consultation room.

Lloydspharmacy is the trading name of Lloydspharmacy Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celesio AG based in Stuttgart. Celesio is one of the leading trading companies and service providers within the pharmaceutical market worldwide.

PR contact:
Belinda English
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
3 London Wall Buildings
London Wall
London
EC2M 5SY
0207 282 2842
http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/