Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 15, 1994 TAG: 9402150060
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Some 84 percent think "it won't happen to me," even if they're at high risk, said the survey released Monday by women's health advocates who urged the government to educate people about other sexually transmitted diseases just as it is about AIDS.
"The energy and public attention focused on HIV and AIDS is the kind of energy and focus we want to see on other STDs," said Joan Kuriansky of the Campaign for Women's Health. "We don't merely want tracking of the problem. We want action and prevention."
Sexual diseases are at epidemic levels, with 13 million non-AIDS infections a year. One of the most dangerous, syphilis, is at its highest level in 40 years.
Women get sexual diseases more easily than men, experience more severe complications and often go undiagnosed until permanent damage is done. As a result, more than 1 million get pelvic inflammatory disease, become infertile or develop life-threatening ectopic pregnancies, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute.
Yet the institute last year discovered most federal funding for treating sexual diseases goes to 4,000 special clinics where two-thirds of the patients are men.
Monday's survey found 84 percent of U.S. women think they are safe, but two-thirds admit they know almost nothing about such diseases.
"These low awareness levels are alarming, because these diseases can easily be prevented" by treatment or condom use, said Dr. Sally Faith Dorfman of the American Medical Women's Association.
The telephone poll of 1,000 women also found:
72 percent of women under 25, 78 percent of women who have had many sexual partners, and 85 percent of women whose partners have had many previous sexual relationships - the groups most at risk - don't fear contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
Women say they know a lot about AIDS but little or nothing about syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes and other diseases that can be prevented just as the AIDS virus can be. Only 11 percent know sexually transmitted diseases are more harmful to women than men.
Monogamy was the most-cited method of protection - by 49 percent - even though those people may be in danger from partners who were infected during previous sexual encounters but show no symptoms. Another 28 percent of women use condoms.
Knowledge increased protection. Women who considered themselves knowledgeable were more likely to discuss sexual histories with new partners, ask a new partner to wear a condom, discuss sexual disease with their doctor or be tested.
by CNB