About Sexual Transmitted Infections

The Real Deal on STIs

• One out of 4 women and one out of 5 men have no knowledge about their sexual partners’ history.
• Two-thirds of 1,000 women age 18 to 60 knew nothing or very little about STIs (other than HIV/AIDS) in 1995.
• The highest at-risk groups are adolescents and gays. African American and Hispanic women are also in the high-risk group.
• The rate of unwanted pregnancies and incidence of infection is alarming.
• There are over 15,000,000 new cases of STIs a year.
• Over 70,000 Americans have a viral STI–like genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, or Hepatitis B.
• Individuals under 25 have two-thirds of the STI cases in the U.S.
• 1 out of 4 teens will contract an STI.
• 1,000,000 teenage pregnancies each year.

Rates of curable STI cases in the U.S. are the highest in the developed world.

• There are 150 STI cases per 100,000 in the U.S. versus 3 cases per 100,000 in Sweden.
• Over 70,000 Americans have viral STI–like genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, or hepatitis B.
• Viral STIs such as HPV, herpes, and hepatitis B are lifelong infections.
• Many people experience no noticeable symptoms initially, but can still pass on the infection.
• Women are up to 5 times more likely to become infected and suffer more serious consequences.

Over 20,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS are diagnosed each year in the U.S.

• 62% of those cases reported before 1996 have died (319,000 Americans).
• Women now represent 30% of new HIV/AIDS cases reported.
• 75% of the cases are from heterosexual sex.
• 3 out of 5 Americans with HIV were infected as teens.
• HIV infection rates are 10 times higher when STIs are not treated properly.

Sexual habits reinforce the need to use condoms.

• Age of sexual maturity is decreasing; age of marriage is increasing.
• More sex, more partners, more risk.
• 46% of teens (14-18) have had intercourse.
• 50% divorce rate means reentering the dating scene to deal with new health challenges.