The impact of the Rugby World Cup on sexual health will be
assessed in a University of Otago study looking at sexual
health clinic attendances in four main centres over the time
of the event.
The research, from the department of preventive and social
medicine, will look at attendances at public sexual health
clinics in Dunedin, Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington.
The contribution of alcohol use to sexually transmitted
infections (STI) will be assessed, along with condom use, and
the incidence, distribution and type of STIs in New
Zealanders and non-New Zealanders who show up at the public
clinics.
Lead investigator, epidemiology research fellow Rebecca
Psutka said clinicians involved would not gather any more
information than they normally would in a routine
consultation.
There would be no change to the way those visiting the
clinics would be treated.
The identity of people in the study would be kept secret.
The study, which had received ethics approval, was seen as an
excellent opportunity to investigate nationally the sexual
health impact of the influx of large numbers of mainly male
tourists, high levels of exuberance and alcohol use and a
possible temporary shift in social norms which might
accompany the Rugby World Cup.
The research team suggests it could provide valuable
information to planners of similar future events and to
national public health protection systems both within New
Zealand and overseas.
Ms Psutka said the project had not been specifically funded.
The sexual health clinicians were donating their time to fill
out the forms.
It was hoped the results of the study would be published next
year.
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