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Human Sexuality
Sexually Transmitted Infections
STIs/STDs
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Sexually Transmitted Infections:
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More accurate than “STDs”
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A less judgmental term?
Types of STIs
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Bacterial and curable
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Chlamydia, gonorrhea
Viral and incurable
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HIV, genital warts
The STI Epidemic
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A public health challenge
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“hidden” and taboo
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Difficult to estimate the incidence of STIs
“The socio-cultural taboos related to
sexuality are a barrier to STD prevention”
(Eng & Butler, 1997)
Statistics
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4 of the 5 most common infectious
diseases reported in the US are STIs
18.9 million new cases of STIs were
reported in 2000; 48% were among
individuals between the ages of 15-24
Statistics
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STI rates in the US far exceed those of
every other industrialized nation
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Why?
STIs
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All sexually active persons are at risk, those
certain groups are at higher risk:
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Women contract STIs more easily than men
Sex with high risk partners
Anal sex
Age disparities: 15-24 year olds
Higher rates in ethnic/racial minorities
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Role of social factors
Biological Considerations
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New research- nonoxynol-9
Young women: at increased risk of
chlamydia and gonorrhea due to an
immature cervix
Men- new research on circumcision
Behavioral Factors
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Initiating sex at an early age- greater
likelihood of more sexual partners
through the lifespan
Numerous sexual partners
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Having sex with unfamiliar/non-exclusive
individuals
High Risk Behaviors
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Anal intercourse
Paying for sex
Casual sexual encounters
Unprotected intercourse
Substance abuse
Social Factors
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Poverty/marginalization
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Access to health care
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Secrecy/moral conflict regarding
sexuality
Consequences of STIs
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Blindness, cancer, infertility,
miscarriage, death
A preexisting STD increases our risk of
becoming infected with HIV
Chlamydia
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75% of cases reported in 2004 were in
women between the ages of 15-24
Rate is 3x higher for women
By age 30, 50% of sexually active
women show evidence that they had
chlamydia during their lifetime
Preventing STIs
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Abstinence
Sexual exclusivity- getting tested with a
partner
Knowing your own/your partner’s risk
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Minimize number of sex partners
Condom use during all sexual activities
Avoid IV drug use