Sexual health: key points

  • The main policy driver for sexual health in Scotland is Respect and responsibility: Strategy and action plan for improving sexual health.
  • An HIV Action Plan in Scotland was published in November 2009 and aims to prevent HIV transmission and to provide high quality treatment and care to all those who require it.
  • In December 2010, the sixth national report on sexual health in Scotland, Scotland's Sexual Health Information (SSHI) Report, was published.
  • This section of ScotPHO provides an overview of selected sexual health topics, including teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, men who have sex with men (MSM), and sexual issues for young people and those aged 45 and over.
  • Only one national target has been set on sexual health in Scotland: to reduce the teenage pregnancy rates in under-16s from 8.5 per 1000 in 1995 to 6.8 in 2010.  The 2008 rate was 7.9 per 1000: the rate has remained fairly steady over the past decade.   

Section updates:

  • The last major update of this section was completed in May 2011.
  • The next major update is due to be carried out by end June 2012.