The sexual health risks of women who have sex with women (WSW) are poorly understood (Fethers et al, 2000). Such women have traditionally been perceived as being a low risk group, and as a result have failed to be included in initiatives designed to improve awareness and uptake of screening for cervical cancer and sexually transmitted infections. Many WSW hold misconceptions about their risk and services available to them, misconceptions which can be compounded by healthcare provider ignorance. That health professionals are ill-informed regarding the range of sexual health issues affecting WSW is unsurprising, considering the dearth of information in undergraduate education, mainstream medical literature, and textbooks. One reason for this lack of evidence may be in part due to the historical context of HIV in the men who have sex with men (MSM) community, and the resultant targeting of research into this group within the LGBT+ community. However WSW are at risk of sexual ill‐health and STI infections, conditions exacerbated by barriers to accessing and engaging with sexual health care. This literature review has therefore been conducted to examine: I. Access to sexual health care II. Safe sexual practices III. STI & cervical cytology outcomes among lesbian and bisexual women, and women who have sex with women (WSW). Women who have sex with women Definitions There are subtle, but important differences between sexual identity, and sexual behaviour. Lesbian is a term
The challenges that this population faces are directly related to psychosocial, physiological, economic and behavioral factors. Challenges such as these can cause serious obstacles for the prevention of STDs due to their influence on access to care, willingness to seek treatment, and social behaviors regarding sexuality. Often older adults are looked at as
Over one million cases of Chlamydia were reported to the CDC in 2013. Despite this large number of reports it actually was a decrease by 1.5% since 2012 (CDC, 2014). Epidemiology statistics showed an increase in reported syphilis, including congenital. Other sexually transmitted diseases can pose higher risks for acquiring HIV. According to new studies, HIV is growing faster in populations that are over 50 versus 40 years and younger (BenRose, 2014). Factors may play a role in this such as higher divorce rates, new medications, and safe sex measures. Therefore, it is important for the healthcare provider screen for sexual activity and any change in sexual partners to provide routine testing when necessary and education on preventive
The reason I chose this topic for research is because of the large number of women in our state who are in potential danger because of this reticence to address sex. According to data provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), “Females between 15-24 years of age comprised 53 percent of all diagnosed chlamydia cases” (TDSHS, 2014). Along with high numbers of chlamydia, “…gonorrhea…like chlamydia, the majority of cases were among youth 15 to 24 years old” (TDSHS, 2014). The significance of this is felt in the effects that untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia can have on the reproductive system. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) “is an infection of a Woman’s Reproductive organs” (CDC PID, 2014). The CDC states that one of the causes of PID is untreated STDs like the aforementioned ones (CDC PID, 2014). The CDC also states that “1 in 8 women with a history of PID experience difficulties getting pregnant” due to the damage PID can cause to the reproductive organs (CDC PID,
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) continue to compromise the health of thousands of Americans daily, predominantly adolescents. According to the World Health Organization (2013), approximately one million Americans acquire an STD every day. Although the percentage of adolescents who have had sexual intercourse has declined since the 1990’s, those who have had sex are less likely to use any form of contraception, thus placing them at greater risk of acquiring an STD (Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 2015). Of the many STDs that are prevalent in the United States, chlamydia is one of the most commonly reported STDs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011). Undiagnosed or untreated chlamydia can cause many health problems including cervicitis, urethritis, and can advance to severe health issues such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy (CDC, 2011).
The possibility of sexually transmitted diseases and infections poses a huge risk to all those who are sexually active. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, STDs and STIs such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV/Aids, and HPV may leave permanent damage to one’s body and increase the likeliness of cervical cancer, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and more. Planned Parenthood offers extensive testing for patients upon every visit to decrease the spread and damage of any and all diseases. According to Sonfield’s research, “Nearly half of female family planning clients receive chlamydia and gonorrhea tests, and 19% receive an HIV test… Without access to these services, in 2010, an estimated 3.6 million women and men would have forgone chlamydia or gonorrhea testing, which would have resulted in tens of thousands of undetected and untreated STIs. By reducing transmission to partners, these testing services helped prevent an estimated 99,000 chlamydia infections, 16,000 gonorrhea infections and 410 HIV infections that year” (Sonfield). The great amount of transferable diseases requires the counteractive services of Planned Parenthood to provide treatment and prevent the further spread of disease. Patients are offered and encouraged to receive testing to maintain sexual health. In the event of an issue, full treatment options are presented at low or no cost and
Numerous sexual partners enables the chances of contracting an STI, such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, or Syphilis, to increase; that being said, statistics indicate that one in every five teens has had four or more sexual partners. Teens of the ages 15 through 19 are among the highest rates of the population infected with the previously mentioned sexually transmitted diseases. Teens engaging in sexual activity are often exposed to diseases without full understanding of the ease that these infections can be transmitted; students need to be exposed to the severe consequences in order to promote more cautious future decisions, like the amount of sexual encounters. Many young males and females never acquire information on the numerous sexually transmitted infections that they could catch and distribute nor how to prevent or treat such diseases. The statistics of high school students that document receiving counseling on STDs and STD testing at a routine checkup with their doctor meets low expectations, recording at 42.8 percent for females and only 26.4 percent for males. The high rates of infected teens could be directly related to the lack of knowledge they receive on the possible diseases that can be distributed through sex. Without proper knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases, the
The words “lesbian” and “gay” can be interchange to describe same sex couples. If you identify as Lesbian or Gay it means you are only attractive to the same sex. If you are attracted to females and males you are described as bisexual. This means you have a physical and emotional attraction to both genders. Many religious group disagree with the way the LGBTQ community chooses to live. They believe having a relationship with the same gender is morally incorrect. It is frowned upon because of the ways their religious books and information states a relationship and family are only between a male and a female. Although lesbian and gay are most commonly talked about group there are many others groups in the LGBTQ community looked past because many people do not really know or understand what they
Further, the primary prevention of STDs is assessing behavior risk, which place he/she at risk of acquisition or transmission of the infection. Second, heath-care providers must routinely address risk of unsafe sex by interviewing and counseling with respect, compassion, and non-judgmental behavior. Using open ending questions techniques and by reinforcing that condoms are the best option of defense and prevention of STDs. Unfortunately, some older adults with diagnosis of a STD are not able to benefit from medications treatment due to they are embarrassed; it strike as surprising because some of the STDs have no symptoms until permanent damage has strike; therefore, it is imperative that healthcare providers initiate the dialogue. Times are different and growing older is not stereotype of impotence or less sex activities, which is a recipe for increase STDs (King et al,
Sexually transmitted diseases are a major public health concern in America today. The Centers for Disease control estimate that sexually transmitted diseases cost the U.S. heath care system as much as $15.3 billion each year. (Dougherty, 2010) Each year 19 million people become infected with a sexually transmitted disease. Half of the people that become infected every year are between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four, and may not even know they are infected. (Dougherty, 2010) One in four of the as many as 12 million new sexually transmitted disease infections that occur each year will occur in someone between the ages of 16 and 19. (Haggerty, 2009) Where by some estimates about half of all people will contract a sexually transmitted disease at some point in their life, almost no one will speak of having one. During the transition between childhood and adulthood biological development drives young people for social status. It is during these times that many teens decide that having sex is a good idea but under education about the consequences of their actions can cause unwanted results. (Haggerty, 2009) Sexually transmitted diseases can be a significant problem as young adults enter childbearing years, causing infertility and pregnancy complications (Kaestle and Waller, 2011)
For this health promotion assignment, the subject I have chosen to discuss is sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). STIs are spread from one person to another through intimate sexual contact but can also spread through non-sexual means such as via the blood or from mother to child during pregnancy (World health organisation (WHO), 2016). According to Mudhar (2013) groups that are particularly at a higher risk are young adults, men who have sex with men (MSM), black African and Caribbean communities. With more than one million STI’s acquired everyday worldwide, it is a major public health issue within society (WHO, 2016). Even though the overall health of the population in England has significantly improved over the past 50 years because of the highly valued NHS, health inequalities are still a dominant feature of health across all regions in England and many people still find it hard to accept that serious health inequalities still exist (Marmot, 2010).
This report will discuss the health assessment of a client who presented to my PEP facility, Clinic 275. Clinic 275 is a confidential and complimentary walk-in sexual health service which provides medical consultation/advice, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (SA Health 2016a). Ultimately, this paper will illustrate how an ongoing health assessment, history taking, provision of client education and care options of certain STIs are fundamental to guiding the planning, implementation and evaluation of care for specific people. All information regarding the client, who will be referred to as R, was permitted for use by the facility and will maintain confidentiality in accordance with the guidelines of the Government of South Australia (2015, p.7; Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 2016).
future career, that is to be an obstetrician, also known as an OB/GYN. Some of the topics that will be discussed in my paper are those pertaining to exactly what an obstetrician is and the requirements that are needed in order to become an obstetrition. These requirements will include the pyhsical and phsyschological personality traits of a potential obstetrician. The type of schooling that is nessecary, including the preperation that is available at Middlesex County College, and the average number of years that it takes in order to become an obstetrician. The demand for obstetricians will also be researched, along with the different promotional ranks that
Sexually transmitted diseases are known as STDs or STIs, which stands for sexually transmitted infections. STDs and STIs are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through intimate contact. STDs affect guys and girls of all ages and backgrounds who are having sex, including oral and anal sex, and having skin to skin contact with an infected area or sore. Common STDs include Genital Herpes, Genital Warts, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis A, B, and C.
Teens have difficulty grasping the consequences of unprotected sex for themselves, their parents, family members and possibly their unborn child. Unprotected sex among teenagers in El Paso has become an issue seeing as they are not receiving the right information they need to know about sex and how to prevent it, sexually transmitted diseases can be passed on through sexual contact in which can be harmful and be passed on from one person to another, and teen pregnancy and STD’s bring substantial social and economic costs through immediate and long-term impacts on teen parents and their children. Nowadays social media and technology seem to really take a toll on teenagers, the both has impacted teens in a way that it is all they are on. My proposal of fixing this solution is getting the message across through social media and doing presentations at different schools, this will impact teenagers mostly because this is the generation where social media has become a part of their lives. To those with low education about unprotected sex, will pay attention to what is being said, which will be no problem since Google and the internet are there to provide answers to their questions. Lastly, teens do not pay attention to adults in general, but if they listen to what a teen has to say then they will most likely understand, thus a presentation at their school will help them learn more.
The Vogue Magazine cover features Lea Michele wearing a pink tank top with a white miniskirt embroidered in colorful patterns. A celebrity is used to intrigue women into reading the magazine by surrounding Lea Michele in bold text that suggests tips on looking younger and healthy. Behind her is the text “Women’s Health” in bold, pink elegant letters. She is wearing a gold bracelet, a necklace, and a gold ring on her fourth finger of her left hand. Her face appears to be glowing as she grins towards the camera with her wavy hair flowing around her. The text surrounding her are in pink and black text in contrast to the white background. Above the magazine cover reads “Your Fast Track To A Flat Belly”.To the non-critical eye, it could be an informative magazine that gives woman an insight on taking care of their body and giving exercising tips.However, it could be implying that women should only look a certain way and should look more youthful to become more desirable.