How would you solve the STD problem?

[Galateasdream]

UK sexual health is in a bad way.
STDs seeing a big increase, esp amongst young, black and gay folk.

UK's sexual health is 'not in good shape'

What would you propose as a solution?

 

[Subduction Zone]

UK sexual health is in a bad way.
STDs seeing a big increase, esp amongst young, black and gay folk.

UK's sexual health is 'not in good shape'

What would you propose as a solution?

Pray the gay away?

Sorry, bad joke. It is quite a conundrum because even though condoms are very effective at limiting the spread of STI's , they also suck. One would think that a better form of protection could be invented. Until then Public Service Announcements may be the best that can be done.

 

[Ayjaydee]

UK sexual health is in a bad way.
STDs seeing a big increase, esp amongst young, black and gay folk.

UK's sexual health is 'not in good shape'

What would you propose as a solution?

What do you consider a solution to be?

 

[exchemist]

UK sexual health is in a bad way.
STDs seeing a big increase, esp amongst young, black and gay folk.

UK's sexual health is 'not in good shape'

What would you propose as a solution?

I'm sorry, but for me STD means Subscriber Trunk Dialling.

Shows what generation I belong to.....

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I'm sorry, but for me STD means Subscriber Trunk Dialling.

Shows what generation I belong too.....

Looking it up, it reminded me of what my mom described with phone stuff getting changed over here as she was growing up.

 

[Galateasdream]

One would think that a better form of protection could be invented.

One day, maybe. But achieving protection from a huge range of diseases and pregnancy, and cheap and easy to use ... - and yet doesn't interfere at all with sexual performance or feeling ... difficult to imagine what that'd be.

 

[HonestJoe]

STDs seeing a big increase, esp amongst young, black and gay folk.

Increased diagnosis isn’t necessarily just down to increased incidence of course. I’d suggest people are more likely to get tested then they would in the past, especially people in those groups. That doesn’t mean there can’t also be an increase in incidence too, just that the dramatic headline figures need to be considered in their full context.

What would you propose as a solution?

There is no solution. STIs have always existed and always will. We can individually reduce the risk (or if we’re willing to go to extremes, all but eliminate it) but infectious diseases always find a way – that’s evolution for you.

The ways to minimise the risk are well established and should be well known by now, nothing has really changed for decades. They need to be supported and encouraged throughout society, regardless of any irrational individual objections there may be. Sex and relationship education needs to be available to all children, starting before they’re likely to be sexually active and developing alongside their own. The full range of protections need to be available, promoted and encouraged. Topics of sexual health and safer practices need to be openly discussed, with the social taboos surrounding the field not permitted to get in the way. None of that is easy and frankly it isn’t all going to happen everywhere but we can each do our part to support it.

 

[Sunstone]

Adequate sex education in the schools might be a good start.

I've been told for years that the UK's sex ed is the worst in Western Europe north of the Alps and that it actually comes close to America's appalling sex ed. If so, that would seem to be significant here, because there seems some correlation between the use of condoms and sex ed.

 

[Galateasdream]

Adequate sex education in the schools might be a good start.

I find it difficult to imagine that many people aren't aware that unprotected sex may lead to all kinds of disease. Whilst sex ed is probably trash, it can't miss out on something so very basic as that. Pretty sure everyone in the UK is told about disease and condoms.

 

[Subduction Zone]

One day, maybe. But achieving protection from a huge range of diseases and pregnancy, and cheap and easy to use ... - and yet doesn't interfere at all with sexual performance or feeling ... difficult to imagine what that'd be.

I know. That would be a Nobel Prize or higher achievement.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Adequate sex education in the schools might be a good start.

I've been told for years that the UK's sex ed is the worst in Western Europe north of the Alps and that it actually comes close to America's appalling sex ed. If so, that would seem to be significant here, because there seems some correlation between the use of condoms and sex ed.

Remember, just say no

 

[Erebus]

Adequate sex education in the schools might be a good start.

I've been told for years that the UK's sex ed is the worst in Western Europe north of the Alps and that it actually comes close to America's appalling sex ed. If so, that would seem to be significant here, because there seems some correlation between the use of condoms and sex ed.

Can't say if it's still the case but when I was in school, sex education was overwhelmingly focused on explaining how babies are made. There were token nods towards the emotional and social aspects of sex but nothing more. When it comes to STDs, there was a definite push for abstinence. It wasn't so much the hard-line "no sex before marriage" stance that some US states apparently have. It was more a suggestion that sex should only ever be between two virgins.

 

[pearl]

Sex and relationship education needs to be available to all children, starting before they’re likely to be sexually active and developing alongside their own.

I think this is key to reducing the number of std incidences.

 

[Iymus]

UK sexual health is in a bad way.
STDs seeing a big increase, esp amongst young, black and gay folk.

UK's sexual health is 'not in good shape'

What would you propose as a solution?

Perhaps those demographics are targeted.

In any case:

Depends on how serious and the trade offs or sacrifices willing to bare:

Mandatory Annual Screenings
Mandatory Identification of Infected such as dog tags, etc.
No Sex Outside Marriage

 

[ChristineM]

I'm sorry, but for me STD means Subscriber Trunk Dialling.

Shows what generation I belong too.....

I prefer the acronym STI, nothing to do with the old telephone system but its just more accurate

 

[ChristineM]

UK sexual health is in a bad way.
STDs seeing a big increase, esp amongst young, black and gay folk.

UK's sexual health is 'not in good shape'

What would you propose as a solution?

Honesty. Informing a potential partner before the act that you are infected.

Then precautions or abstinence will reduce the incidence of STIs

Maybe I'm naive but i am a great believer in honesty.

 

[Ayjaydee]

Honesty. Informing a potential partner before the act that you are infected.

Then precautions or abstinence will reduce the incidence of STIs

Maybe I'm naive but i am a great believer in honesty.

Honesty might be a tough sell

 

[Estro Felino]

Romance..
Instead of promiscuity and lust

 

[ChristineM]

Honesty might be a tough sell

I am pretty sure it would, i just wish it wouldn't

 

[ChristineM]

Romance..
Instead of promiscuity and lust

That would be harder to sell than honesty