Ignorance regarding sexually transmitted diseases among Americans is distressing

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 07 Apr 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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A new survey has revealed that Americans are amazingly ignorant about the risks of catching sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The survey found the following:

-- 84% say they take precautions to protect themselves during sex

HOWEVER:

-- 45% say they use no protection during vaginal intercourse

-- 66% say they use no protection during anal intercourse

-- 91% say they use no protection during oral sex

-- 68% are not concerned about catching a STD

-- 33% never talk(ed) about STDs with their sexual partners

'This is distressing..' said Dr. James Allen, President of ASHA (American Social Health Association). "People think they know a lot and yet, in fact, they either don't know as much as they think they do when we get into specific questions, or what people actually do doesn't coincide with the level of knowledge that they say they have."

The ASHA say 25% of Americans will catch an STD during their lives. The health bill for the year 2000 was $8 billion when 18 million new patients with STDs had to be treated.

This study was funded by GlaxoSmithkline, a large pharmaceutical company. They survey, in fact, was focussing on people's attitude towards hepatitis. A total of 1,155 people were interviewed.

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