Lifestyles

The Real Deal on STDs

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 STDs (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 disease is alarming.
There are over 15,000,000 new cases of STDs a year.
Over 70,000 Americans have a viral STD--like genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, or Hepatitis B.
Individuals under 25 have two-thirds of the STD cases in the U.S.
1 out of 4 teens will contract an STD.
1,000,000 teenage pregnancies each year.

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

There are 150 STD cases per 100,000 in the U.S. versus 3 cases per 100,000 in Sweden.
Over 70,000 Americans have viral STD--like genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, or hepatitis B.
Viral STDs such as HPV, herpes, and hepatitis B are lifelong diseases.
Many people experience no noticeable symptoms initially, but can still pass on the disease.
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.

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.

Sources: American Social Health Association, CDC, Kaiser Foundation.