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Women and STDs
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Chinese proverb: Women hold up half the sky.
Educating girls and women leads to higher wages; a greater likelihood of working outside the home; lower fertility; reduced maternal and child mortality; and better health and education. The impact is felt not only in womens lifetimes, but also in the health, education and productivity of future generations.
http://www2.goldmansachs.com/ideas/demographic-change/women-hold-up-half-of-the-sky.pdf
May 2010: Women and STDs
From 1990 to 2000, California was only one of three states (in addition to Alaska and Hawaii) where the female population grew at a faster rate than the male population. http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/people/a_gender.html The diverse population of women requires specifically designed health services and appropriate health messages to meet their various needs. As with any complex group it is necessary to carefully segment the population by age, language, ethnicity, education and perception of risk. Because women are disproportionably affected by Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), it is imperative that they have accurate health information and know their behavioral and service options.
Women and STDs
Women deserve special attention because:
- Women often have more severe health problems from STDs than men: untreated STDs can cause health problems such as cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and pregnancy or birth complications.
- STD risks for women are increased due to a womans physiology and may be asymptomatic: therefore, testing is of heightened importance. (In California, in 2008, the female chlamydia rate was 545 per 100,000, compared with the male rate of 231. http://www.cdph.ca.gov/data/statistics/Documents/STD-Data-2008-Report.pdf
- Having an STD can put you at greater risk of getting HIV if exposed.
- Most STDs, including HIV, are transmitted more efficiently from a male to a female than from a female to a male.
Specific Groups of Women Distinctly Affected by STDs
Latina women in the United States have the highest rates of cervical cancer among all racial/ethic groups.
Women often have fewer options than men to protect themselves from STDs. (Consider the findings of new research Linking Domestic Violence & Reproductive Coercion/Control with decreased reproductive health outcomes http://www.endabuse.org/content/news/detail/1495/)
African American adolescents and young adults have STD rates that are more than 20 times higher than those in white adolescents.
Non-white women are nearly three times as likely as white women to be hospitalized with acute Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and more than two times as likely to be hospitalized with chronic PID.
http://www.ashastd.org/news/news_stmts_diseases.cfm
http://www.ashastd.org/involve/involve_adv_wompos.cfm
Women need to know:
- Young women in California have rights to protected privacy from 12 and up for sexual health services
- Cervical cancer is preventable! The pap test detects abnormal and cancerous cells
- Young women (9-26) should get the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer
- There are different tests for each STD " women should ask their clinician what makes sense for them
- All sexually active women are encouraged to get tested for STDs
Click on the following titles to link to various materials pertinent to women available on SWAP. Or click here for our SWAP search page for more materials.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Brochure
Cervical Cancer Audio Public Service Announcement (PSA) in Spanish
California Minor Consent Laws (pocket card)
I told my partners because (Asian/other)
STD 101 a power point for youth(50-60 minutes)
Additional resources to educate and inform:
- Its All One Curiculum
Contains guidelines and activities for a unified approach to sexuality, gender, HIV, and human rights education
This dynamic curriculum has been developed by the Population Council.
http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/PGY09_ItsAllOne.pdf
- Family Violence Prevention Fund
A national non-profit organization that focuses on the prevention of violence at home and in the community.
www.endabuse.org
