In the United States, 1 in 5 people has a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The likelihood of contracting an infection depends on a variety of factors, such as where one lives, what they do, who one is, and who one loves. While some of these factors can be controlled, others are integral to our identity, making it important to understand how to remain healthy.
Living in the South or in or around a larger metro area in the United States increases one’s chance of contracting an STI. Additionally, having unprotected sex or using improper protection, having multiple sexual partners, using dating apps, and even substance abuse can increase the chance of an STI. These actions are considered risky due to the unknown or inhibited judgment, all of which can lead to accidental contraction. By ethnicity, black, white, Hispanic/Latino, and other groups of people are all susceptible to diseases at different levels. The same facts apply to income, age, and background, which are all aspects of a person that may change their likelihood of being exposed to a disease.
Sexuality is also a large factor in the spread of STIs, as homosexual men are more likely to contract infections like gonorrhea and syphilis, while heterosexual men are more likely to contract diseases like herpes. The same comparison goes for homosexual women, who are more susceptible to bacterial vaginosis, and heterosexual women, who are more likely to contract syphilis. There is extensive research available on other partnerships, with gay and bisexual cisgender men displaying the highest rate of STI positivity. The type of sex one is having also makes a difference, as anal intercourse is ten times more likely than vaginal intercourse to result in HIV.
In order to lower one’s risk for STIs, the most common risk reduction options are abstinence, STI testing before a new sexual relationship, using proper protection, and even vaccines. Especially when one reaches the age where sexual encounters become the norm, it is important to test to promote and ensure safe sex at all times.
