www.medexpress.co.uk has found that the average Brit is unclear about the symptoms and side effects of STIs and confuse them for other things. Unsurprisingly many don't rate the sexual education they received at school and blame this for their lack of knowledge now.

Sex on Female First

Sex on Female First

Most people admit that their knowledge of STIs is 'basic at best'. 62% bragged about their knowledge of basic symptoms, however 21% have no idea what to look out for after having unprotected sex with someone.

The Brits were given a list of STIs mixed in with other decoy names and asked to identify which was which.

Worryingly 5% of Brits believe gonorrhoea is a form of diarrhoea and 39% believe that trichomoniasis is a disease that only plants and trees suffer from.

9% got confused about Chlamydia and believed it to be the flower Camellia and most startling of all- 15% thought syphilis was a heavy metal band.

Respondents were then asked a set of general questions about STIs and the results found the most common misconceptions about such infections.

1. All STI's can be cured - 68% of respondents incorrectly thought this was true

2. You can catch an STI from a toilet seat- 53% of respondents incorrectly thought this were true.

3. Shaving off all pubic hair will rid your body of pubic lice/crabs-4 6% of respondents incorrectly thought this was true.

4. You can only catch an STI from full sexual intercourse - 31% of respondents incorrectly thought this was true.

5. Using a condom will give 100% protection against all STI's- 18% of respondents incorrectly thought this was true.

Although many Brits are sexually active, only a third have been tested for STIs.

A spokesperson from MedExpress.co.uk, made the following comments regarding the study's findings:

"It's obvious that personal and social has improved in the past decade, with schools around the UK continually making attempts to improve the way children are taught about such important matters as contraception, STI's and drug abuse. Having said that, it is clear from our research that it's the older generations that need a lesson or two on sexual health and the importance of knowing what to look out for in terms of symptoms."

"If 15% of the population believe syphilis to be a heavy metal band, then there is clearly a lot of work to still be done! If, as the survey finding suggests, many people in their forties and fifties have never been for an STI test, then how do they know they are not carrying around a symptomless infection? If you've never been to a clinic I cannot stress the importance of going to a sexual health clinic, even if you've been with the same partner for years and years. If you end up contracting an STI, don't panic, educate yourself and stay safe!"

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