Get tested: STDs are a real threat; mitigate your risk behavior Published June 5, 2013 By Senior Airman Blake Mize JBER Public Affairs JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Certain topics are awkward. There is simply no way to get around their inherent ability to make people uncomfortable. Perhaps the most glaring example of this is the discussion of sexually transmitted infections. Even with doctors, who are bound by law to protect their patients' privacy, the subject is approached with extreme caution and usually only out of necessity. However, the fact that the topic of STIs makes us uneasy does not diminish the importance of having the conversation. Many JBER members fall within the age group most affected by STIs - which is those who are ages 15 to 24 - and the mission here could be adversely affected if information is not provided to them. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently warned the public that STIs are considered an epidemic in the U.S., especially among young people," said Air Force Maj. Joanne Clark, 673d Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Public Health Flight commander. "To minimize the spread of STIs on JBER, it is imperative to educate all sexually active individuals on the types of diseases, treatments and potential complications." According to a study by the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, if they are unaware of or indifferent to the possible ramifications STIs can bring, people are much more likely to engage in the risky behavior that sometimes leads to infection. The Sexual Awareness For Everyone study, which was published on the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' website, followed 617 volunteers. They were put into groups and participated in three weekly interactive sessions that focused on risk recognition, commitment to reduce risk and communication skill building. The sessions aimed to empower individuals and cultivate self confidence, raise the volunteers' consciousness with regard to relationship needs with male partners, dispel myths associated with STI transmission, negotiate condom use and educate about the consequences of STIs. At the one-year follow up to the intervention sessions, researchers reported a marked reduction in STIs among the volunteers. They found the behaviors responsible for this reduction included reducing the number of partners and the rate of partner turnover, practicing mutual monogamy, not having sex before their partner had been fully treated for STIs and avoiding unsafe sex. Subsequent versions of the study produced similar, even more positive results. "Individuals can choose different paths to avoid STIs," said Dr. Rochelle Shain, who led the study. "SAFE is not limited to encouraging condom use, but includes a mix of options." The study cites practicing abstinence, engaging in mutual monogamy, reducing one's number of sexual partners and being selective when choosing them, using condoms consistently and correctly, increasing health-seeking behavior and self-empowerment, among other methods, as the best deterrents to contracting STIs. "The best way to avoid becoming infected with an STI is to abstain from sex," Clark said. "There is no such thing as safe sex. There is safer sex. For those having sex, the best way to avoid an STI is to practice safer sex and use a condom. "Condoms, when used correctly, can help prevent the spread of STIs but are not 100-percent effective. Another way to avoid a STI is to know your partner and be in a monogamous relationship," Clark continued. "If you are entering a monogamous relationship but previously have not been, both you and your partner should get tested prior to starting a sexual relationship and periodically thereafter if you have concerns." According to the Mayo Clinic, anyone who is sexually active risks exposure to STIs. There are, however, factors that may increase that risk. Their website lists unprotected sex, having multiple sexual partners, having a history of STIs and being an adolescent female as being some of the most prominent of those. They also state that, because substance abuse can inhibit judgment, abusing alcohol or recreational drugs may increase the likelihood of contracting an STI. Additionally, injecting drugs intravenously can spread many serious infections, such as HIV, which can then be spread sexually. The clinic states STIs are generally acquired by sexual contact. The microbes that cause STIs may pass from person to person in blood, semen, vaginal fluids or other body fluids. Some infections can be transmitted non-sexually, such as from mother to infant during pregnancy or childbirth, blood transfusions or sharing needles. It is possible to contract STIs from people who seem perfectly healthy or may not be aware they are infected. There are myriad symptoms of STIs. These symptoms are wide-ranging and may be noticeable or not. Many STIs cause no symptoms in some people. Signs and symptoms may appear a few days to years after exposure, depending on the organism. They may resolve in a few weeks, even without treatment, but progression with later complications or recurrence sometimes occurs. "Being knowledgeable about STI transmission and safer sex practices can help prevent the spread of these infections," Clark said. "Many can easily be cured but if an STI is left untreated, it may cause other complications in the body. Symptoms can vary depending on the infection. However, it is important to note that a person may be infected with an STI and not be aware of it." JBER's senior medical officer stressed the importance of getting tested for STIs in order to avoid the possible ramifications that can arise from them. "If you think you have an STI or would like to be tested, make an appointment with your primary care provider," said Air Force Col. Thomas Harrell, 673d Medical Group commander. "Remember that it is imperative to treat these infections as soon as possible and not to spread them. Break the chain of infection." A common misconception among females is that annual Pap smears and exams include testing for STIs. In most cases, they do not - just as oral contraceptives do not protect against infections. If you think you are at risk for STIs, ask your health-care provider about testing. For more detailed information on STIs, visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/std or contact the JBER-Elmendorf Public Health Office at 580-0025 or JBER-Richardson Public Health Office at 384-0600. There are also resources in Anchorage and surrounding communities for confidential testing.