Thoughts from Courtney Bauer
April is STI Awareness month. So why not get tested? Even if you don’t show any symptoms of having an STI you may still have one. Most STIs show no symptoms at all. Do you think you can tell whether or not someone has an STI? Well you can’t and they may not even be able to tell you whether or not they have one because they may not know themselves. This is why if you are sexually active it is a good idea to get tested regularly.
Did you know that by age 25, 1 out of every 2 sexually active young people will have an STI? Did you also know that half of all new sexually transmitted infections occur in people between the ages of 15 and 24?
There is good news in all of this, as UB offers STI testing options, a panel test. It is available to students who qualify for just $10. However, do not bring cash to your appointment it will be billed directly to your student account. Don’t worry though, it won’t say that you were billed for an “STI test” it will simply say “health services fee.” Your health care provider will decide what tests are right for you, so be honest about what you've been doing! Call Student Health Services and set up your appointment today (716) 829-3316.
Celebrate STI awareness month grab a friend, partner, neighbor, or even go by yourself and GET TESTED!
Showing posts with label STD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label STD. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, December 7, 2009
The OTHER condom......
The Female Condom
Guest comment by Olympia J., SBI Health Education intern
There are three types of male condoms: latex, polyurethane, and natural skin sheath. The male condom is everywhere from local pharmacies, to doctor offices, schools and health fairs. There is also the female condom which is made primarily from polyurethane and sometimes from latex. When used properly, the female condom is effective at preventing pregnancy, transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). What makes the female condom appealing is that it gives women more control over their sexual health instead of depending solely on a male. However, none of these potential benefits can be realized because of the scarcity of the female condom. Some of us may have heard of the female condom but have never seen, read about, or bought one. How many of us have gone into a pharmacy and seen the countless boxes of male condoms varying in color, flavor and size? Now, how many of us have gone into a pharmacy and have seen countless boxes of the female condom? Exactly! You don’t. Now is time to globalize and advertise the female condom!
So let’s get started with Female Condom 101: The general structure of the female condom is a pouch that contains an inner ring and an outer-ring. Female condoms are clear colored and are generally the same shape and size. There are two approved types of female condoms in the United States, the FC and the FC 2. Here is how to use a female condom:
For instructions with images, check out Female Health Company's instructional video
1) Squeeze the inner ring with your thumb and index fingers
2) Get into a comfortable position either by squatting, laying down, or lifting up your leg (similar to inserting a tampon)
3) Push female condom as far back as it can go (it will be stopped by your cervix), make sure it is securely positioned between the pelvic bone and the cervix.
4) The outer ring will hang outside the vagina. Make sure it covers the labia and that your partner enters through the outer-ring.
5) When you are done, grab the outer ring, twist the pouch, pull out the female condom and discard of it (although the female condom looks sturdy, IT IS NOT APPROVED FOR REUSE!)
Information from:
http://www.fwhc.org/birth-control/femalecondom.htm
http://www.avert.org/female-condom
Guest comment by Olympia J., SBI Health Education intern
There are three types of male condoms: latex, polyurethane, and natural skin sheath. The male condom is everywhere from local pharmacies, to doctor offices, schools and health fairs. There is also the female condom which is made primarily from polyurethane and sometimes from latex. When used properly, the female condom is effective at preventing pregnancy, transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). What makes the female condom appealing is that it gives women more control over their sexual health instead of depending solely on a male. However, none of these potential benefits can be realized because of the scarcity of the female condom. Some of us may have heard of the female condom but have never seen, read about, or bought one. How many of us have gone into a pharmacy and seen the countless boxes of male condoms varying in color, flavor and size? Now, how many of us have gone into a pharmacy and have seen countless boxes of the female condom? Exactly! You don’t. Now is time to globalize and advertise the female condom!
So let’s get started with Female Condom 101: The general structure of the female condom is a pouch that contains an inner ring and an outer-ring. Female condoms are clear colored and are generally the same shape and size. There are two approved types of female condoms in the United States, the FC and the FC 2. Here is how to use a female condom:
For instructions with images, check out Female Health Company's instructional video
1) Squeeze the inner ring with your thumb and index fingers
2) Get into a comfortable position either by squatting, laying down, or lifting up your leg (similar to inserting a tampon)
3) Push female condom as far back as it can go (it will be stopped by your cervix), make sure it is securely positioned between the pelvic bone and the cervix.
4) The outer ring will hang outside the vagina. Make sure it covers the labia and that your partner enters through the outer-ring.
5) When you are done, grab the outer ring, twist the pouch, pull out the female condom and discard of it (although the female condom looks sturdy, IT IS NOT APPROVED FOR REUSE!)
Information from:
http://www.fwhc.org/birth-control/femalecondom.htm
http://www.avert.org/female-condom
Thursday, June 18, 2009
STI Statistics
One in five people in the United States has an STI
Two-thirds of all STIs occur in people 25 years of age or younger
Cervical cancer in women is linked to Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV
STIs, other than HIV, cost about $8 billion each year to diagnose and treat
One in five Americans have genital herpes, yet at least 80 percent of those with herpes are unaware they have it
At least one in four Americans will contract an STI at some point in their lives
Human Papillomavirus is the most common STI in the United States
More than 5 million people are infected with HPV each year
Less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have ever been tested for an STI other than HIV/AIDS
At least 15 percent of all infertile American women are infertile because of tubal damage caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), the result of an untreated STI
Two-thirds of Hepatitis B (HBV) infections are transmitted sexually and are linked to chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer
Two-thirds of all STIs occur in people 25 years of age or younger
Cervical cancer in women is linked to Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV
STIs, other than HIV, cost about $8 billion each year to diagnose and treat
One in five Americans have genital herpes, yet at least 80 percent of those with herpes are unaware they have it
At least one in four Americans will contract an STI at some point in their lives
Human Papillomavirus is the most common STI in the United States
More than 5 million people are infected with HPV each year
Less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have ever been tested for an STI other than HIV/AIDS
At least 15 percent of all infertile American women are infertile because of tubal damage caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), the result of an untreated STI
Two-thirds of Hepatitis B (HBV) infections are transmitted sexually and are linked to chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)