Condom Reality
Is it really enough? If you're in college right now, chances are they are out giving condoms like candy. It might give you the idea that condoms are a sure bet for safe sex. Handing out free condoms at schools, in the dorm, or at dances is not about protecting you individually. In the past, there were few stats about the effectiveness of condoms. Now there are. Is using a condom better than nothing??? For some infections, yes. Here's the 411 on condoms. What's The Risk? Sexually Transmitted Infections/Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STI/STD) are a much bigger risk today than they have ever been. Regardless of how much more available condoms have become, the CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year--almost half of them among young people 15 to 24 years of age. Up through the 1960s, there were only two STI's of major concern - syphilis and gonorrhea - both of which could easily be cured with penicillin. Today, there are approximately 20 other STDs in addition to HIV. (Medical Institute for Sexual Health)Between 2006 and 2007 the national syphilis rate increased 15.2 percent. (CDC) HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) - The STI that causes cancer. There is virtually no evidence that condoms reduce the risk of HPV infection at all, though they may slightly decrease the number of people who go on to get warts or cervical cancer. HPV is the single most common STD in America. According to the CDC, 80% of sexually active adults in the US is infected with at least one HPV type by age 50. College campus surveys report up to 50% of female students have been infected with HPV. (Update on the management of STD/s and HIV prevention, 2009. Seattle STD/HIV Training Center.) In 1999, more women in America died of cervical cancer (4,800) than AIDS (4,100). Chlamydia and Gonorrhea If used correctly and without incident 100 percent of the time, condoms only reduce the risk of chlamydia and gonorrhea infection by half. Because the majority of chlamydia cases cause no symptoms, most people infected don't even know it. And you can't tell who is infected just by looking at them. Left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea infections can damage a woman's fallopian tubes, causing ectopic pregnancies and infertility. In 2007 more than 1.1 million Chlamydia cases were reported, the largest number of cases ever reported to the CDC for any condition. (CDC Annual Report, 2007) Further, 70%-80% of women with Chlamydia DO NOT show signs of infection. And 40% of women with untreated Chlamydia progress to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. (Update on the Management of STDs and HIV Prevention, 2009) There are increases in gonorrhea rates in the West, with the reported rate of gonorrhea rising 17.1 percent between 2003 and 2007. (CDC) Genital Herpes You've seen the commercials on TV for the drugs that treat this disease. Yeah, the beautiful couple paddling the canoe across the blue lake. It's like a dream. After seeing that you'd think herpes was no big deal, right? Wrong. Herpes is nasty. Check out these pictures at Google.com if you need some external motivation to do all you can to avoid this infection. (Warning: Images are graphic and contain pictures of infected genitals). Herpes has no cure, and over 90 percent of the people who have it right now don't know it. Those people can pass it on to you. You may be able to manage some of the symptoms. But herpes is a "till death do us part" disease. Based on limited studies, it appears condoms only reduce the risk of herpes by HALF, at best. Nearly a quarter of Americans 12 and older, and almost half of all African Americans are infected with herpes. People with herpes are also more at risk for becoming infected with HIV from an HIV-positive sexual partner. HIV/AIDS If used correctly and without incident 100 percent of the time, condoms reduce the risk of HIV transmission by 85 percent. Not bad odds, right? Think about it. We're not talking about odds on a football game. We're talking about your life. These statistics translate into a brutal reality. For every 100 people using a condom during sex, 15 of them are infected with HIV. Ask any ONE of the 15 if playing against the odds was worth it. THEN decide. Is your life worth the gamble?
Pregnancy While certainly not a disease, an unplanned pregnancy isn't something desired by most young women in college. Yet, approximately 14 percent of couples using condoms for pregnancy prevention get pregnant during the first year of use. That means that, for every 100 couples using condoms to prevent pregnancy, 14 of them become pregnant in the first year. So, is wrapping it up really enough? Condoms DO NOT eliminate the risk. Condoms DO NOT make sex safe enough for individuals who wish to avoid STI's and pregnancy. According to research, even if used consistently and correctly, condoms slip off or break from 1.5 percent to 3.5 percent of the time. If you have already been sexually active, get tested. Make an appointment online or call us at 208 892-WISH (9474). Abstinence from sexual activity (including oral, anal, outercourse, and mutual masterbation) is the only sure way to avoid infection. Male appointments offered Wednesdays only.
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 1999. Surveillance Research. 1999. Available at: www.cancer.org | 
