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Sexually transmitted diseases: magnitude, determinants and consequences.
International Journal of STD & Aids 2001;12(4):211-215.
Aral SO.
Abstract
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including human immuno-deficiency virus
(HIV) infections constitute a major reproductive health burden for sexually-active
individuals. The short-term and long-term consequences of STD have been well
documented and include genital and other cancers, pelvic inflammatory disease,
ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and adverse outcomes of pregnancy including
pre-term delivery and low birth weight. The burden of sexually transmitted
infections falls disproportionately on the young, the poor, minorities and
women. At the societal level, there is a continuing need to educate people,
particularly adolescents, about their risk for STDs and their sequelae and
to increase the use of barrier methods including condoms. Policy decisions
that facilitate more open discussion of sexuality and STDs, and that expand
the accessibility and acceptability of sexual risk assessment, STD screening
and treatment services would help decrease STD rates in the United States
to levels similar to those observed in other industrialized countries.