Annual Health Lecture Focuses on Female Sexuality

Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 28, 2013 (SKNIS): Female Sexuality and Healthy Life Transitions is the theme of this year’s Annual Health Lecture which takes place Sunday, June 30, 2013 at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort starting at 4:00 p.m.

Held under the auspices of Prime Minister the Right Honourable Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in collaboration with Baptist Health International and Minister of Health Honourable Marcella Liburd, the lecture has the theme of: “Female Sexuality and Healthy Life Transitions.”

Dr. Julio E. Arronte, Obstetrician/Gynecologist affiliated with Baptist Health International will present the lecture. He is expected to address issues pertaining to female sexual health from girlhood through womanhood. The aspect of strengthening the connection between adults and adolescent girls regarding women’s health will also be explored. As such, the link will be made between puberty and menopause and the varying female experiences.

The lecture is timely, considering that information provided by the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health revealed that habits and behavior picked up during adolescence have lifelong impact. These include risk taking behavior, substance abuse, eating habits and conflict resolution. Similarly, many adolescent girls are sexually active but lack information and skill for self-protection, they also have high level information on sexual health yet exercise low barrier contraception use. This was determined from a Global Schools-Based Student Health Survey provided by the Ministry of Health that revealed that “68.6 % of students in St Kitts and Nevis had sexual intercourse before age 14 and of those that had sex, 47.5% did not use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse.”

Petrunela Edwards Non-Communicable Disease Coordinator at the Ministry of Health revealed that the lecture should benefit women at various stages of life.

“This health education session aims to break the taboo of menopause by lifting the discomfort that parents experience talking to their children about hormones,” Ms. Edwards explained. “For mothers and daughters, going through menopause and menstruation together is an opportunity to connect as women. It is expected that the presentation will shape how girls can deal with the sexual physical and emotional changes throughout their lives.”