Blouch: It's time to get rid of the stigma surrounding STDs - Rocky Mountain Collegian
Blouch: It's time to get rid of the stigma surrounding STDs - Rocky Mountain Collegian |
| Blouch: It's time to get rid of the stigma surrounding STDs - Rocky Mountain Collegian Posted: 31 Jan 2021 10:45 PM PST
Editor's Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. Experimentation and even reckless behavior are common in college sex culture, and Colorado State University is no exception. In November 2020, I surveyed 482 CSU students and found trends indicating that the community is not engaging in safe sexual practices. Here are some of the trends I found:
Some people get wrapped up in the chaos of college and feel invincible, thinking they surely won't get a sexually transmitted disease. However, they are mistaken. Anyone, no matter how many people they have slept with, can contract an STD. While it is imperative to mitigate the risk of spreading STDs by practicing safe habits, such as using protective barriers, these are not perfect solutions. You can still get an STD even when using a condom or dental dam. The sexual habits consistent with the college culture increase the risk of contracting STDs, which is even more concerning given people from ages 15-24 make up half of all new STD cases. Roughly 1 of 4 college students have an STD or sexually transmitted infection, according to Biem. Despite their prevalence, there still seems to be harmful stigmas surrounding STDs and sexual health in general.
At the heart of the toxic narrative is the lack of honest communication. Many are repulsed by STDs and associate people who have STDs as being "dirty." Some STDs, such as syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are completely curable through a dose of antibiotics. It is when we start discussing the incurable STDs that the narrative gets muddy. Human papillomavirus, HPV and genital herpes, HSV-2, are two of the three most common STDs among college-age students, and they are incurable. Both HPV and herpes, however, are treatable in some form. Students can take preventative action via the HPV vaccine and treat symptoms if they arise. Herpes, on the other hand, is treatable with antiviral drugs. Both diseases, especially HPV, can go completely undetected except for occasional flare-ups of genital warts. Protective barriers such as condoms and dental dams can help mitigate the spread during times in which the person is not experiencing flare-ups.
The narrative around these conditions is harmful, yet we know that many people are affected by them. Not having open and honest communication regarding STDs can lead many people to feel ashamed and not tell their partners about their STDs, thus leading to a greater spread. In order to destigmatize STDs and increase communication within the CSU community, the University should play its part. Free testing for STDs should be standard. Education on STDs should be mandatory and incorporated into the already existing education regarding sex during orientation and Ram Welcome. Free condoms and dental dams should be easily accessible for all students. Most importantly, the University should cultivate a consistent, healthy narrative around sex and STDs. If you have contracted an STD, it is important to keep in mind that it does not define you. Most STDs are either curable or treatable. Honest communication with sexual partners and practicing safe sexual habits are your biggest tools when wading through the waters of the college sex culture. If you are seeking additional resources, the CDC has more information on STDs, and Planned Parenthood has resources on how to talk to your sexual partner about testing and STDs. On-campus resources are also available to take control of your sexual health. Cat Blouch can be reached at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @BlouchCat.  |
| CDC estimates 1 in 5 people in the US have a sexually transmitted infection - KTRK-TV Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:35 AM PST  The CDC estimates that on any given day in 2018, one in five people in the U.S. had a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The analyses, published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases, show the burden of diagnosed and undiagnosed STIs in the U.S. and the estimated medical costs associated with STIs. It is estimated there were nearly 68 million STIs on any given day in 2018, as well as 26 million newly acquired STIs that same year. The research found that nearly one in two incident STIs were acquired by people ages 15 to 24. The research further showed that over a lifetime, those infections would incur medical costs of nearly $16 billion. "The burden of STIs is staggering," said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. "At a time when STIs are at an all-time high, they have fallen out of the national conversation. Yet, STIs are a preventable and treatable national health threat with substantial personal and economic impact. There is an urgent need to reverse the trend of increasing STIs, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected many STI prevention services." STIs can have serious health consequences. People with these infections do not always experience disease symptoms, but, if left untreated, some STIs can increase the risk of HIV infection, or can cause chronic pelvic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and/or severe pregnancy and newborn complications. STIs cost the U.S. healthcare system billions of dollars annually HIV and HPV infections acquired in 2018 were the costliest STIs in the new CDC analysis, as medical costs for these infections include lifetime treatment for people with HIV and treatment for HPV-related cancers. Other reportable STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, have substantial medical costs as well. Of the estimated $16 billion in lifetime medical costs from STIs acquired in 2018:
The total cost of STIs far exceeds the medical cost burden estimated in this study, which did not include costs associated with lost productivity, other non-medical costs, and STI prevention. "Proven STI prevention - at all levels - is a cornerstone of protecting America's health, economic security, and wellness," said Raul Romaguera, acting director for CDC's Division of STD Prevention. "There are significant human and financial costs associated with these infections, and we know from other studies that cuts in STI prevention efforts result in higher costs down the road. Preventing STIs could save billions in medical costs, but more importantly, prevention would improve the health and lives of millions of people." Focusing STI prevention on those hardest hit and the need for better data COVID-19 has underscored the underlying effects of systemic health and social inequities that put racial and ethnic minority groups and other populations at increased risk of infection. Similarly, there is an ongoing disproportionate burden of STIs among certain racial and ethnic groups; among young people between 15 and 24 years old who accounted for nearly half of all new STIs in 2018; and among women, who account for a disproportionate burden of severe STI outcomes and medical costs. CDC's new estimates are critical to better understanding the scope of STIs in the U.S. However, the findings also highlight gaps in the scientific literature and the ongoing need for more data. This includes the need for population-based STI screening estimates to provide a better picture of diagnosed and undiagnosed STIs in groups disproportionately affected, including some racial/ethnic minority groups and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or and queer/questioning LGBTQ. Innovative strategies critical to addressing the STI epidemic At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating racial and ethnic health disparities, straining the public health infrastructure, and creating additional challenges to delivering healthcare services, new strategies for increasing access to quality sexual healthcare are critical. Strategies used to overcome barriers associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to help reverse increases in STIs. Examples include: Copyright © 2021 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.  |
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