Welcome back to Six Minute Sex Ed, the podcast that helps people talk about sex, relationships, and growing up. Created and hosted by Sex Education Teacher Kim Cavill. Find her at www.teaandintimacy.com - https://twitter.com/sexposparenting - https://www.instagram.com/sixminutesexed/
This week’s episode is level two, which makes it more complex than my level one episodes and perfect for tweens, teens, and adults. We’re going to talk about sexually transmitted infections, or STIs.
STIs and STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases technically mean different things: generally infections can develop into diseases, so STI means early stages of infection while STD means later stages where symptoms present. In day to day language, though, the terms are interchangeable.
STI stats: https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats18/default.htm
STIs basics:
STIs come in three types: bacterial, viral, and parasitical. Bacterial STIs, such as syphillis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea are caused by bacteria and treated with antibiotics. Some bacterial STI’s are growing resistant to antibiotics, so it can take a few rounds of different medications to make them go away. Bacterial STIs are curable, but antibiotics don’t prevent future infections. Viral STIs, such as HIV, herpes types 1 and 2, and HPV are caused by viruses. They can’t be cured, but they can be managed, if treated early enough. Some can also be prevented by vaccines. Stay tuned for an upcoming episode about the cancer preventing HPV vaccine, which is available in the US to people ages 9 - 45 and highly recommended for young people between the ages of 11 - 13. Parasitical STIs are caused by parasites, such as trichomoniasis, or trich, and curable with medication.
Planned Parenthood chat: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/online-tools/chat
STI’s are preventable. You can prevent STIs with vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine, medications like PrEP, or pre exposure prophylaxis, which prevents HIV infections. You can also prevent STIs by using barrier methods of protection during oral, anal, and vaginal sex, hand sex or fingering, and genital skin to skin contact. Barrier methods include internal condoms that can be inserted into the vagina or anus, external condoms that go on a penis or penetrating object, gloves and cots for hand and finger sex, and dental dams for oral sex on anuses or vulvas. None of these methods reduce the risk of STI infection completely, but used properly and consistently, they’re extremely effective.
Further resources:
How to ask partners about STIs without being weird: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/std-sti-sexual-health-experts-advice_l_5cdb1926e4b07ef1396a07da
How to talk about STIs without shame and stigma: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-talk-to-teens-about-stis_l_5dd44d9be4b0e29d727af19f
Amaze.org STD facts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sbgg8icODY
Amaze.org STI prevention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41cFmDTABJY
General STI overview: https://helloclue.com/articles/sex/birth-control-and-sti-risk
Conversation starters:
Where can people get STI tests where you live?
How do you want medical providers to talk to you about STIs?
Thanks for listening! Make sure to rate and review the podcast and send your questions/comments to sixminutesexed@gmail.com
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