Jackson Hospital | Partners | FALL 2015

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Some health issues are easy to
talk about—and some aren’t. Sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) are nothing
we like to put on the table.
Still, knowing about STIs is impor-
tant. According to the American Sexual
Health Association (ASHA), more than
half of all people will have an STI at
some point in their lifetime.
Young people are especially at risk. The
ASHA reports that each year, one in four
teens gets an STI. And one in two sexually
active people will have an STI by age 25.
The risk in Montgomery
There’s more cause for concern in our
area. One report, based on cases of
syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, called
Montgomery the most sexually diseased
city in the U.S.
These illnesses raise the risk of reproduc-
tive health problems, including infertility.
They also increase the risk for acquiring
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. And
without treatment, that can be deadly.
It’s important to take the report on
Montgomery with a grain of salt, says
Michael Murphree, CEO of Medical
AIDS Outreach of Alabama. “A lot of
patients come here for their medical care
when they actually may be living in other
counties.”
Even so, rates of STIs in the area are
high.
Education is key
Part of the challenge with STIs is that
people can have them—and spread
them—without knowing it. Several of
the most common infections produce no
signs or symptoms. And it’s estimated
that as many as one-quarter of people
who are HIV-positive don’t know it.
The key to fighting STIs is education,
STI spells danger
Education, prevention, testing have a role
in stopping sexually transmitted infections
according to Murphree.
“Unless we get information to people,
behaviors will not change,” he says.
What’s more, that information must be
passed on to young people.
“Parents need to be educated with
good information, and then they need to
be comfortable enough to share it with
their kids.”
Stay safe
The ASHA offers these tips to reduce the
risk of contracting STIs:
Get tested. If you’ve been sexually
active, before having sex in a new relation-
ship, you and your partner should be
screened for STIs. Because some infections
aren’t detectable through screening for
weeks, ask your doctor when to be tested.
Murphree recommends annual HIV
screening.
“That way you know one way or the
other and treatment can be started early
if necessary,” he says. “Then you can live
long and healthy.”
Use protection. Barriers, such as
condoms, lower the risk of STIs.
Communicate. Talk with your part-
ner and your doctor about STIs and your
sexual health.
Stay faithful. If you choose to have
sex, doing so with just one partner may
limit exposure to STIs. However, be
aware that if either partner has had sex
with someone previously, there is a risk.
Avoid alcohol and recreational drug
use. Both can impair judgement and
increase STI risk.
PUT
DOWN
YOUR TILES
To learn more about STIs,
getting tested and talking
with your kids, start here:
• Alabama Department
of Public Health
• American Sexual Health
Association
• Medical AIDS Outreach
of Alabama
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