VICTORIAN country teens are sexually active earlier and have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections than their city cousins.

The higher rates of STIs, particularly chlamydia, in adolescents might be symptoms of schools and doctors' clinics struggling to keep long-term staff in country areas to teach teens about the risks of unprotected sex, according to Rural Doctors Association of Victoria president Mike Moynihan.

Regional profiles from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development show Loddon Mallee adolescents almost doubled the Victorian rate of STIs in teens.

Data shows the Loddon Mallee region, which covers Mildura, Bendigo, Swan Hill, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Buloke, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Gannawarra and Mount Alexander council areas, have three adolescents per 1000 with an STI compared to 2.4 in 1000 for rural Victoria and 1.7 in 1000 across Victoria.

Hume followed with 2.5 per 1000 teens, Gippsland 2.3, Barwon South West with 2 and the Grampians with 1.9.

All country regions experienced significant increases in the rate of infection during the past five years, according to the data.

Dr Moynihan said he wasn't surprised by the figures saying chlamydia was "quite common in the community".

"Chlamydia is all about safe sex, a lot don't do that, and teens get sexually active around 15," Dr Moynihan, who is based in Swan Hill, said.

He said while many females used the pill for conception, couples may not use condoms to protect against infections.

Dr Moynihan said sex ed in schools was necessary because some parents didn't take responsibility to talk about the topic with their children.

"One would hope sex ed in schools is allowed and progressive . . . it is necessary that it is spoken about. The figures are not surprising as teen pregnancy has been traditionally higher in country Victoria and the highest numbers have been recorded in the past in Mildura," he said.

A changeover in staff at schools may contribute to less sex ed while the lack Australian trained long-term GPs in country settings may also contribute to the problem, Dr Moynihan said.

More Australian trained doctors were needed to build trust with patients to discuss sensitive topics like safe sex as many overseas doctors were not studying with experienced mentors and may lack cultural understanding to tackle such delicate topics, he conceded.