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.
