America Clueless About Sexual Health?

The rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States as well as surveys conducted would indicate that young people are not very aware of how STIs or STDs (Sexually transmitted diseases) spread. Teens and young people in their twenties are not very aware of means to prevent pregnancy either it would seem.

According to Heather Corinna, author and executive director of sex advice Web site scarleteen.com, the situation is getting worse and not better in the past 12 years that she has been working with young adults and sex.

Sex education classes may be a reality, but it would appear that not many are paying attention in class.

There appears to be a lot of misguided notions among people about pregnancy, sex and about preventing STDs and STIs according to survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, which found:

  • People thought it OK to use petroleum jelly to lubricate latex condoms. It isn’t because the jelly can dissolve the latex.
  • People think it is necessary to “take a break” from birth control pills every few years, then in fact this is not necessary.
  • Rates of diseases like Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis are rising.

Source: Chicago Tribune