Remember the height of the AIDS scare, when people were basically bombarded with the message of B次元官网网址渨ear a condom or die?B次元官网网址�

TodayB次元官网网址檚 young adults donB次元官网网址檛.

That may be factor in the gradually increasing rate of sexually transmitted infections on Vancouver Island and it certainly is playing a part in a new promotion being launched by Island Health.

B次元官网网址淔or me, the emphasis is to promote it for our youth populations, and for people to start thinking about (testing) as part of their regular health care,B次元官网网址� Vancouver Island medical health officer Dee Hoyano said.

Between 2005 and 2014, chlamydia B次元官网网址� the most common of the diseases being tested for B次元官网网址� has risen from 216 cases per 100,000 people to 288 per 100,000. Cases in the south and central Island roughly mirror those numbers, while on the north Island they are a little higher.

Other sexually transmitted infections are less common, but also seem to be on the upswing. Hoyano points to two factors.

B次元官网网址淥ur tests have gotten better, so when we do test, we pick up more; and changes in sexual behaviour, particularly around safer sex practices like using a condom,B次元官网网址� she said.

As part of its emphasis on increased testing, the health authority has launched a new service that allows you to get tested for chlamydia, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhoea and HIV without ever having to visit a doctorB次元官网网址檚 office.

Island residents can create an account through the website, take a quiz on their sexual history, print a laboratory requisition form, then get tested at a participating LifeLabs outlet.

Negative results will lead to an online notification. Positive or inconclusive results will lead to a call from a nurse to arrange treatment.

Health officials hope the increased privacy the program offers will combine with youth cultureB次元官网网址檚 comfort online to result in more people getting tested.

The program is primarily being offered to residents of Victoria, Langford and Duncan because that is where the participating labs are.

However, Hoyano said residents of communities further up-Island are also welcome to participate if they donB次元官网网址檛 mind making the drive.

She is hopeful the service can be expanded fully into other Island communities, if the numbers of this initial program seem to warrant it.

Public health officials recommend B.C. residents get tested for HIV once every five years, regardless of their behaviour. People are told to consider testing for the other diseases based on factors like new sexual partners, or signs and symptoms.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of what makes sense of the individual,B次元官网网址� Hoyano said. B次元官网网址淪ome who are potentially at higher risk might want to do more.B次元官网网址�

A similar pilot program was launched in Vancouver focused on men who have sex with men. Visit the for more information.