Sexual Health Lesson - Week 5 PDF

Lesson Proper for Week 5 Completion requirements Sexual health is the state of physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing related to sexuality. It is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity. It is how we function biologically as well as the function of our behavior and...

Lesson Proper for Week 5 Completion requirements Sexual health is the state of physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing related to sexuality. It is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity. It is how we function biologically as well as the function of our behavior and our awareness and acceptance of our bodies. Our general health affects our sexual functioning and requires us to know and understand our bodies and feel comfortable with them, have a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, and requires us to know the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences free of coercion, discrimination, and violence. Sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected, and fulfilled to attain and maintain sexual health. However, this may contradict with societal and personal expectations. The spread of STDs is directly affected by social, economic, and behavioral factors. Such factors may cause serious obstacles to STD prevention due to their influence on social and sexual networks, access to and provision of care, willingness to seek care, and social norms regarding sex and sexuality. Sexually Transmitted Diseases STDs refer to more than 35 infectious organisms that are transmitted primarily through sexual activity. STD prevention is an essential primary care strategy for improving reproductive health. Despite their burdens, costs, and complications, and the fact that they are largely preventable, STDs remain a significant public health problem in the United States. This problem is largely unrecognized by the public, policymakers, and health care professionals. STDs cause many harmful, often irreversible, and costly clinical complications, such as: Reproductive health problems Fetal and perinatal health problems Cancer Facilitation of the sexual transmission of HIV infection Asymptomatic nature of STDs. The majority of STDs either do not produce any symptoms or signs, or they produce symptoms so mild that they are unnoticed; consequently, many infected persons do not know that they need medical care.  Gender disparities. Women suffer more frequent and more serious STD complications than men do. Among the most serious STD complications are pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of the uterus), infertility, and chronic pelvic pain. Age disparities. Young people ages 15 to 24 account for half of all new STDs, although they represent just 25% of the sexually experienced population. Adolescent females may have increased susceptibility to infection because of increased cervical ectopy. Racial and ethnic disparities. Certain racial and ethnic groups (mainly African American, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations) have high rates of STDs, compared with rates for whites. Race and ethnicity in the United States are correlated with other determinants of health status, such as poverty, limited access to health care, fewer attempts to get medical treatment, and living in communities with high rates of STDs. Poverty and marginalization. STDs disproportionately affect disadvantaged people and people in social networks where high-risk sexual behavior is common, and either access to care or health-seeking behavior is compromised. Access to health care. Access to high-quality health care is essential for early detection, treatment, and behavior-change counseling for STDs. Groups with the highest rates of STDs are often the same groups for whom access to or use of health services is most limited. Substance abuse. Many studies document the association of substance abuse with STDs. The introduction of new illicit substances into communities often can alter sexual behavior drastically in high-risk sexual networks, leading to the epidemic spread of STDs. Sexuality and secrecy. Perhaps the most important social factors contributing to the spread of STDs in the United States are the stigma associated with STDs and the general discomfort of discussing intimate aspects of life, especially those related to sex. These social factors separate the United States from industrialized countries with low rates of STDs. Sexual networks. Sexual networks refer to groups of people who can be considered “linked” by sequential or concurrent sexual partners. A person may have only 1 sex partner, but if that partner is a member of a risky sexual network, then the person is at higher risk for STDs than a similar individual from a lower-risk network. Each state must address system-level barriers to timely treatment of partners of persons infected with STDs, including the implementation of expedited partner therapy for the treatment of chlamydial and gonorrheal infections.  Enhanced data collection on demographic and behavioral variables, such as the sex of an infected person’s sex partner(s), is essential to understanding the epidemiology of STDs and to guiding prevention efforts. Innovative communication strategies are critical for addressing issues of disparities, facilitating HPV vaccine uptake, and normalizing perceptions of sexual health and STD prevention, particularly as they help reduce health disparities. It is necessary to coordinate STD prevention efforts with the health care delivery system to leverage new developments provided by health reform legislation. blood semen (including pre-cum) vaginal fluid anal mucous breastmilk. Someone who has an undetectable viral load If a healthcare professional has confirmed that someone living with HIV has an undetectable viral load (meaning effective treatment has reduced the amount of virus in their blood so that it cannot be detected through a blood test) there is no risk of transmission. Someone who doesn’t have HIV You can only get HIV from someone who is already living with HIV. Touching someone who has HIV HIV can only be transmitted through specific bodily fluids so you can’t get HIV from touching someone, hugging them or shaking their hand. Kissing There is such a small amount of HIV in the saliva of a person living with HIV that the infection can’t be passed on from kissing. Sweat, tears, urine or feces of someone who has HIV HIV can’t be transmitted through sweat, tears, urine or feces. Mutual masturbation Mutual masturbation, fingering and hand-jobs can’t give you HIV. However, if you use sex toys make sure you use a new condom on them when switching between partners. Used condoms Air Coughs, sneezes or spit Food, drink and cooking utensils Outside of the body, HIV in semen can only survive for a very short amount of time. So, even if a condom had sperm from an HIV-positive person in it, it would not pose any risk. HIV can’t survive in air so you can’t get it from sharing a space with someone who is HIV- positive. There is only a trace of HIV in these bodily fluids so they can’t transmit HIV. HIV can’t be passed on through sharing food, drinks or cooking utensils, even if the person preparing your food is living with HIV. Someone who doesn’t have HIV Touching someone who has HIV Kissing Sweat, tears, urine or feces of someone who has HIV Mutual masturbation Used condoms Air Coughs, sneezes or spit Food, drink and cooking utensil \ Why Is Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Important? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are approximately 20 million new STD infections each year—almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24. The cost of STDs to the U.S. health care system is estimated to be as much as $16 billion annually. Because many cases of STDs go undiagnosed—and some common viral infections, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and genital herpes, are not reported to CDC at all—the reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis represent only a fraction of the true burden of STDs in the United States. Untreated STDs can lead to serious long-term health consequences, especially for adolescent girls and young women. CDC estimates that undiagnosed and untreated STDs cause at least 24,000 women in the United States each year to become infertile. Understanding Sexually Transmitted Diseases Several factors contribute to the spread of STDs. STDs are acquired during unprotected sex with an infected partner. Biological factors that affect the spread and complications of STDs include: Related Topic Areas Cancer Family Planning HIV Social, Economic, and Behavioral Factors The spread of STDs is directly affected by social, economic, and behavioral factors. Such factors may cause serious obstacles to STD prevention due to their influence on social and sexual networks, access to and provision of care, willingness to seek care, and social norms regarding sex and sexuality. Among certain vulnerable populations, historical experience with segregation and discrimination exacerbates the influence of these factor Emerging Issues in Sexually Transmitted Diseases There are several emerging issues in STD prevention: Each state must address system-level barriers to timely treatment of partners of persons infected with STDs, including the implementation of expedited partner therapy for the treatment of chlamydial and gonorrheal infections. Enhanced data collection on demographic and behavioral variables, such as the sex of an infected person’s sex partner(s), is essential to understanding the epidemiology of STDs and to guiding prevention efforts.  Innovative communication strategies are critical for addressing issues of disparities, facilitating HPV vaccine uptake, and normalizing perceptions of sexual health and STD prevention, particularly as they help reduce health disparities. It is necessary to coordinate STD prevention efforts with the health care delivery system to leverage new developments provided by health reform legislation. Transmission through body fluids HIV may be transmitted through certain body fluids that are capable of containing high concentrations of HIV. These fluids include blood, semen, vaginal and rectal secretions, and breast milk. HIV is transmitted when fluids from a person who has measurable amounts of the virus in their body (HIV-positive) pass directly into the bloodstream or through the mucous membranes, cuts, or open sores of a person without HIV (HIV-negative). Amniotic and spinal cord fluids can also contain HIV and could pose a risk to healthcare personnel who are exposed to them. Other bodily fluids, such as tears and saliva, CANNOT spread the infection. There are lots of myths and misconceptions about how you can get HIV. Here we debunk those myths and give you the facts about how HIV is passed on… HIV can only be passed on from one person to another via the following bodily fluids: HIV infection occurs when infected bodily fluids get into your bloodstream in these ways: · unprotected sex (including sex toys) · from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding · injecting drugs with a needle that has infected blood in it · infected blood donations or organ transplants. You cannot get HIV from… You can only get HIV from someone who is already living with HIV. HIV can only be transmitted through specific bodily fluids so you can’t get HIV from touching someone, hugging them or shaking their hand. There is such a small amount of HIV in the saliva of a person living with HIV that the infection can’t be passed on from kissing. HIV can’t be transmitted through sweat, tears, urine or feces. Mutual masturbation, fingering and hand-jobs can’t give you HIV. However, if you use sex toys make sure you use a new condom on them when switching between partners. Outside of the body, HIV in semen can only survive for a very short amount of time. So, even if a condom had sperm from an HIV-positive person in it, it would not pose any risk. HIV can’t survive in air so you can’t get it from sharing a space with someone who is HIV- positive. There is only a trace of HIV in these bodily fluids so they can’t transmit HIV. HIV can’t be passed on through sharing food, drinks or cooking utensils, even if the person preparing your food is living with HIV. Toilet seats, tables, door handles, cutlery, sharing towels Water Insects Animals Neworsterilizedneedles Musicalinstruments Tattoos and piercings You can’t get HIV from any of these as it can only be transmitted through specific bodily fluids. HIV can’t survive in water, so you can’t get HIV from swimming pools, baths, shower areas washing clothes or from drinking water. You can’t get HIV from insects. When an insect (such as a mosquito) bites you it sucks your blood only – it does not inject the blood of the last person it bit. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which means that the infection can only be passed between humans. New needles can’t infect someone because they haven’t been in contact with infected blood. If used needles are cleaned and sterilized they can’t transmit HIV either. HIV can’t survive on musical instruments. Even if it is an instrument that you play using your mouth, it can’t give you HIV. There is only a risk if the needle used by the professional has been used in the body of someone living with HIV and not sterilized afterwards. However, most practitioners are required by law to use new needles for each new client.