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Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually Transmitted Infections - Prevention

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that are spread through sexual contact - either through direct skin-to-skin contact or through bodily fluid exchange. Having an STI can have long-term negative effects on your health, and it puts you at higher risk for contracting HIV (the virus responsible for causing AIDS). Each year STIs cost the United States millions of dollars. STIs are a social problem that should not be ignored, and men and women each play an important role in finding the solution.

Here are some ways to help reduce your risk and respect yourself:

  1. Abstain from sexual contact. This is the only sure way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Since STIs are spread through direct skin-to-skin contact or exchange of bodily fluids, completely avoiding behaviors that result in transmission is the best way to stay clean.
  2. Be in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to not be infected. If you and your partner only have sex with each other, and you both have been tested and do not have STIs, then your risk is minimal.
  3. Communicate openly and honestly with your current partner about past partners. Talk about your history of condom use. The more partners an individual has, the higher the risk of being exposed to an STI. Among sexually active people, one in four (1/4) have an STI. Those odds are pretty high, but we have the power to change that.
  4. Use a condom correctly each and every time there is sexual contact. A condom works well to reduce the risk of STIs that are transmitted by bodily fluids, however, since a significant area of skin in the genital region is not covered, there is still risk of STIs that are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. Female condoms cover more skin around the vagina and may be more effective in preventing skin-to-skin transmission. Condoms are effective, but only if they are used correctly! Click here to play the "Condom Line-Up Game" to make sure you know all the steps!
  5. Use a dental dam during oral sex. Dental dams are a piece of latex that covers the genital region or anal area. This will help prevent transmission bodily fluids as well as skin-to-skin contact.
  6. Get screened for STIs. If you and your partner are tested before you have any sexual contact, you will know your risk before exposing yourself. County healthy departments offer community health clinics that provide low-cost STI screenings for men and women. People can have an STI without knowing, so regular screening between sexual partners is recommended.

If you are interested in setting up an STI screening, call:

Click here for an overview of the common Sexually Transmitted Infections.