The War Against Venereal Diseases: Engineering Protective Practices During World War II in Sweden

2020 STD Prevention Conference: Disrupting Epidemics and Dismantling Disparities in the Time of COVID-19.

Studying sexual health in the UK

Although research has repeatedly demonstrated that adolescents' use of sexually explicit Internet material (SEIM) is related to their endorsement of permissive sexual attitudes and their experience with sexual behavior, it is not clear how linkages between these constructs unfold over time. This study combined 2 types of longitudinal modeling, mean-level development and cross-lagged panel modeling, to examine (a) developmental patterns in adolescents' SEIM use, permissive sexual attitudes, and experience with sexual behavior, as well as whether these developments are related; and (b) longitudinal directionality of associations between SEIM use on the 1 hand and permissive sexual attitudes and sexual behavior on the other hand. We used 4-wave longitudinal data from 1,132 7th through 10th grade Dutch adolescents (M(age) T1 = 13.95; 52.7% boys) and estimated multigroup models to test for moderation by gender. Mean-level developmental trajectories showed that boys occasionally and increasingly used SEIM over the 18-month study period, which co-occurred with increases in their permissive attitudes and their experience with sexual behavior. Cross-lagged panel models revealed unidirectional effects from boys' SEIM use on their subsequent endorsement of permissive attitudes, but no consistent directional effects between their SEIM use and sexual behavior. Girls showed a similar pattern of increases in experience with sexual behavior, but their SEIM use was consistently low and their endorsement of permissive sexual attitudes decreased over the 18-month study period. In contrast to boys, girls' SEIM use was not longitudinally related to their sexual attitudes and behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of these gender-specific findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Invited response

Maximizing the Potential Public Health Impact of HPV Vaccines: A Focus on Parents

The Authors reply

Intersecting epidemics and educable moments: sexually transmitted disease risk assessment and screening in men who have sex with men.

Evaluation of sexual behaviors is essential to better understand the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections and their sequelae. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) is an ongoing probability sample survey of the US population. Using NHANES sexual behavior data from 1999 to 2012, we performed the following: (1) trend analyses among adults aged 25 to 59 years by 10-year birth cohorts and (2) descriptive analyses among participants aged 14 to 24 years. Sex was defined as vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Among adults aged 25 to 59 years, median age at sexual initiation decreased between the 1940-1949 and 1980-1989 cohorts from 17.9 to 16.2 among females (P trend < 0.001) and from 17.1 to 16.1 among males (P trend < 0.001). Median lifetime partners increased between the 1940-1949 and 1970-1979 cohorts, from 2.6 to 5.3 among females (P trend < 0.001) and from 6.7 to 8.8 among males (P trend < 0.001). The percentage of females reporting ever having a same-sex partner increased from 5.2% to 9.3% between the 1940-1949 and 1970-1979 cohorts (P trend < 0.001). Among participants aged 14 to 24 years, the percentage having had sex increased with age, from 12.5% among females and 13.1% among males at age 14 years to more than 75% at age 19 years for both sexes. Among sexually experienced 14- to 19-year-olds, 45.2% of females and 55.0% of males had at least 3 lifetime partners; 39.4% of females and 48.6% of males had at least 2 partners in the past year. The proportion of females aged 20 to 24 years who reported ever having a same-sex partner was 14.9%. The proportion of participants aged 14-19 or 20-24 years reporting ever having sex did not differ by survey year from 1999 to 2012 for either males or females. Sexual behaviors changed with successive birth cohorts, with more pronounced changes among females. A substantial proportion of adolescents are sexually active and have multiple partners. These data reinforce existing recommendations for sexual health education and sexually transmitted infection prevention targeting adolescents before sexual debut.

Artificial intelligence and sexual health in the USA

Adolescent sexuality and reproductive health: where are we in 2004?

Communication to promote and support physical distancing for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Words Matter: Putting an End to "Unsafe" and "Risky" Sex.

From Control to Crisis: The Resurgence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Sexual behaviour and incidence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men using daily and event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis in AMPrEP: 2 year results from a demonstration study

Introduction: South Africa faces disproportionately high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially in low-income communities. Understanding how demographic, socioeconomic, and knowledge-based factors influence sexual behaviour is critical for targeted public health interventions. Therefore, this study examined the relationships between socioeconomic status (SES), education, ethnicity, marital status, STD awareness, and sexual behaviour among women aged 15 – 49 in low-income South African communities. Methods and Materials: We conducted a cross-sectional study utilizing data from the South Africa Demographic and Health Survey 2016 (SADHS 2016). Key variables included sexual behaviour (safe versus risky), SES, education, place of residence, ethnicity, marital status, and awareness of STDs. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to assess associations between sexual behaviour and the aforementioned variables. Results: Among 8,513 respondents, 22.3% (95% CI: 21.1–23.5) engaged in risky sexual behaviour. Higher SES was associated with increased odds of risky behaviour, as were White, Coloured, and Indian/Asian ethnicities compared to Black Africans. Conversely, higher education levels, being married or cohabiting, and STD awareness (having heard of AIDS) significantly reduced risky sexual behaviour. Urban residence had no significant effect. These findings highlight the influence of socioeconomic and educational factors on sexual health outcomes. Conclusion: Sexual behaviour may be influenced by a number of factors, and behavioural patterns vary across groups. Public health strategies and intersectional approaches to sexual health should be considered to enhance education and STD awareness to reduce risky behaviours and improve sexual health outcomes in different population groups.