A clinic in southern Sweden has come up with a “not so ordinary” way to get young men to visit the clinic. The clinic offers a penis measuring tape that measures the diameter of the penis. This technique is designed to help young men know the correct size of their penis and in turn get the correct size of condoms. The main purpose of getting the young men to visit the clinic is to get them to stop by for appointments and discuss mental health.
Mental Health a Key Concern in Europe
Mental health among young people is reported to be an issue and a key area of concern in Europe. Young people are at a higher risk of developing mental disorders compared to adults as they face different and new pressures and challenges of life every day.
Financial worries, limited employment, limited educational opportunities or worries with their relations with other people might cause stress and trigger mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia among others. This is why medics want the young men to open up about mental health and the best way to do that is to involve sexual matters.
It is no secret that the young all over the world are the most sexually active group of people. The tape measuring technique is aimed at informing them on safer sex practices as well as getting them to talk about mental health.
The clinic in Sweden holds frequent visits in male-dominated upper secondary schools, giving them information on what they do as well as educating them on sexual health. Plans are also underway for the clinic to have home visits for the more vulnerable young people.
Blekinge Clinic is however not the first of its kind to use the technique in Sweden. A public clinic in Stockholm handed out measuring tapes to young men to insist on safe sex practices about a year ago.
STIs on the Rise in Sweden
The Swedish Public Health Agency has reported that sexually transmitted infections are on the rise in Sweden in the last couple of years. In just five years, the number of new syphilis cases has grown almost three times more in some parts of the country while cases of gonorrhoea have gone up twice as much in the last decade. In addition, fewer Swedes are now using condoms.
A recent study carried out in Sweden showed that majority of young people will use a condom when engaged in sex with a new partner, with more people using condoms in such situations at the age of 21 and 35. The number is even less when it comes to using a condom in the heat of the moment.
Additionally, men who have sex with men are more likely to use condoms than heterosexual men. Use of protection during sex is all dependent on the kind of sex education given in primary and secondary schools. The young people are more aware of sex and protection and the consequences that might follow. However, some just choose to be ignorant.
It may be an unorthodox method, but it’s getting the young Swedes curious enough to visit the health clinics where the probability of getting tested for various STDs increases. This also opens the door to discuss various mental issues that they may be facing.