STIs in STL
BY MEA AKEY
GRAPHIC BY ASIA BROWN
GRAPHIC BY ASIA BROWN
Only 62% of WashU students used a condom the last time they were sexually active. That’s 38% of students that are unprotected from STI’s.
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Not-so-fun fact: Saint Louis is the so-called sexually transmitted disease capital of the United States (not actually though; looking at you, Montgomery, Alabama), with the greater metropolitan area ranking eighth in the country for gonorrhea transmission, and seventeenth in the country for chlamydia transmission. It’s no secret that St. Louis has an issue with STIs and both in Saint Louis and nationally, rates are on the rise. In addition, the lack of stores that sell condoms contributes to the higher STI and pregnancy rates in the city. The hefty price, stigma and conspicuity of asking for behind-the-counter items, and single-use quantity, discourage the use of condoms even if stores stock them. With all of these obstacles, how do we promote safe sex practices in a city prone to STI transmissions?
I had the pleasure of meeting with Steve Scroggins, a representative of the Infectious Disease sector of the Saint Louis Public Health Department, to discuss the government’s solution to the local STI crisis. Scroggins leads advocacy for the city’s condom distribution and sex education program. The program aims to bring free condoms and testing services to vulnerable parts of Saint Louis to decrease the prevalence of STIs and educate populations on ways to enact change within their own communities. Scroggins and other team members reach out to local communities including religious centers, bars, clubs, and even barbershops, for permission to stock free condoms and information about testing and treatment services. Surprisingly, the team members encounter little resistance in a historically traditional and conservative state. Scroggins states that the program has made many significant partnerships with religious groups, schools, and LGBTQ+ groups who recognize the issue and want to make a difference. The program attempts to dispel myths and change social stigmas of condom usage in the area to ameliorate the public health concern of STIs. "The program attempts to dispel myths and change social stigmas of condom usage in the area to ameliorate the public health concern of STIs." The program’s website gives valuable information for St. Louis residents, from where to get condoms, to STI testing centers, support HIV positive groups , to even a map of all the official condom distribution sites in the Saint Louis metropolitan area – shout out to our very own Habif Health and Wellness Center! These sites have free, easily accessible condoms for anyone who needs them, especially those who live in condom deserts. The site also includes a list of locations that provide STI testing and services with important information such as specific services offered. Providing patients with immediate service after diagnosis is the most efficient way to bring disease rates down, especially in communities where people can’t or won’t take multiple trips to a physician regarding their sexual health. In addition, the site even includes helpful tips on how to store and use condoms. One of the most important facets of condom usage is fit. Many people don’t realize that condom brands vary in width and length. However, most condoms will fit and work effectively regardless of brand, a point brought up by many sex education programs. Scroggins states individuals’ brand loyalties, specifically to Magnum and Trojan, prevents them from using the free condoms distributed by the program, even though he stresses that all condoms can stretch to fit any size penis. Finally, the site lists the basic “do’s and don’ts” of condom use to prevent STI transmission. Do check the expiration dates on the condom and place one to two drops of (water-based or silicone) lube inside the condom before putting it on. Placing lube inside the condom before use means easier wearing and more pleasurable feeling. Don’t reuse condoms or use multiple condoms at once. After the initial usage, condoms become significantly less effective, and the friction between the two condoms can make both more likely to break. Don’t fall prey to condom myths! TLDR? Scroggins has this piece of advice for WashU students: “Besides the obvious ‘get tested and use a condom,’ I would say it’s very important to normalize getting tested. You hear from a lot of people, ‘I never thought it would happen to me’, but getting an STI is really no different than getting the flu or a cold. It can happen to anybody.” Make sure to check out the site at stlcondoms.com for more information on how to stay healthy and safe regardless of who you choose to spend the night with. "I would say it’s very important to normalize getting tested." |