Young men must not be overlooked in the drive to improve young people's sexual health, Jan Barlow, Chief Executive of Brook, the sexual health charity for young people, warned today. She urged teachers and health professionals to be aware of the different information and messages young women and men are likely to have received about sex and sexual health, and to make sure that education and services reflect their different needs.

Speaking at the beginning of Sexual Health Week 2005, Ms Barlow highlighted the gap between women and men's sexual health knowledge, revealed by a recent survey of more than 1300 16-18 year olds. The survey found, for example, that:

· 54% of men and 50% of women (52% overall) thought that chlamydia only affected women

· 34% of men and 30% of women (31% overall) thought that sexually transmitted infections could be caught from a toilet seat

· 60% of men and 42% of women (54% overall) did not know that emergency contraception can be taken up to 72 hours after sex

· 30% of men and 20-21% of women (25% overall) did not know that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be transmitted via oral sex

The same survey found that young women and men get information about sex and relationships from a wide range of sources, but women are more likely than men to get information about sex and relationships, contraception and STIs from magazines and books.

As a result Brook decided to look at the information contained in a variety of magazines read by young people. A ‘snapshot' of the content of five of each of the best-selling men's, women's and teenage girls' magazines, published today, reveals that the five men's magazines contain just two references to condom use, whereas the women's magazines contain ten references to sexual health issues including contraception, STIs, and unplanned pregnancy. The magazines aimed at teenage girls include seven mentions of sexual health issues, advice from a range of experts about relationships and sex worries, and details of numerous organisations offering readers further information and advice.