Across the Atlantic, many people keep their sexually transmitted infections secret.
- Only 50% of Americans with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) mention it when meeting a new sexual partner, according to a new survey.
- “The results of this study highlight the gaps in individuals’ knowledge about sexual health,” the authors say.
- The number of screenings for bacterial STIs has been increasing for several years in France.
According to a new investigationonly half of Americans with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) mention it when meeting a new sexual partner.
Why keep your sexually transmitted infection quiet?
In addition to this alarming figure, researchers also found that many people with an STI felt that sexual activity was not risky if they did not have symptoms. “Many believed, especially in the case of herpes, that being asymptomatic and using prophylactic treatment were enough to completely prevent transmission of the disease, which exempted them from disclosing their pathology,” they note.
“Although the probability of herpes transmission is reduced when the person is asymptomatic and uses prophylactic treatment, it remains possible,” the researchers therefore specify. “The same goes for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis, all of which can be spread in the absence of symptoms or even semen,” they add.
Other factors also came into play when it came to disclosing – or not – an STI. For example, many justified their lie by omission by explaining that simply mentioning their illness brought back too much psychological suffering.
“The results of this study highlight the gaps in individuals’ knowledge about sexual health,” write the authors of the survey. “This is not surprising, especially in the United States where sex education remains taboo rather than the norm,” they analyze.
Screening for bacterial STIs increases in France
France is currently adopting a similar position. “On the occasion of this national sexual health week 2024, Santé publique France is providing several prevention tools and reminding people of the importance of getting informed/dialogue to limit situations that could harm their sexual health”, noted Public Health France on its website.
The number of screenings for bacterial STIs has been increasing for several years in our country. In 2022, 2.6 million people benefited at least once from reimbursed screening for Chlamydia trachomatis infection, 3 million from screening for gonococcal infection and 3.1 million from screening for syphilis.
“Ile-de-France is a region where the rate of screening and diagnosis of STIs is high, with in particular a higher rate of diagnosis of syphilis than in other regions”, concludes Public Health France.