When you think of the word “trends,” you might think of the latest fashion or dance craze, but there is another trend that is just important in which to keep a watchful eye on, and that is the trend of what is happening in the world of sexually transmitted diseases.
There may have once been a time when STDs were nothing to worry about. If someone contracted gonorrhea or syphilis, they simply went to their doctor, received a shot or took antibiotics and they were cured. As many of us know and have learned now, there are a few deadly STDs that can be contracted. This is no longer something that you catch like that common cold and expect to be cured in just a few days. Some of these more deadly STDs can change a person’s life forever or even worse, take their life.
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) does its best to print statistics that can in turn help the population make better decisions, but it is up to each individual to ensure their own safety when engaging in unprotected sex. Just remember, that one instance of being careless can give someone a lifetime condition. It can also affect many others if it goes undetected. Here are two links to data released by the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/std/Trends2000/Trends2000.pdf and http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats06/trends2006.htm.
Another thing to remember is that even though the CDC has data on sexually transmitted diseases for a specific year or years, this information only includes the cases that were actually reported. The numbers could be significantly higher than reported due to a patient’s apprehension about getting tested or even reporting the condition to their doctor.
According to an article posted on the popular Web site WebMD in January 2009, certain STDs are currently on the rise. The link is: http://www.webmd.com/sex/news/20090113/std-trends-chlamydia-syphilis-rising. With this recent news it is increasingly important for each person to be careful and take more control over their own sexual health to prevent the number of STDs reported. Making good health choices is everyone’s responsibility.