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During STD Awareness Month in April,
the Kaiser Family Foundation, MTV, Planned Parenthood, and CDC are partnering
in the GYT Campaign, "Get Yourself Talking, Get Yourself Tested."
Carol Bafaloukos, associate medical director of Planned Parenthood Arizona,
stated that the United States has 20 million new STD infections each year. Half
of the cases occur among people under the age of 25.
Bafaloukos noted, "We don't
necessarily do a really good job of teaching them about prevention and the
importance of using condoms, the important of abstinence. Well, actually we do
teach them about abstinence, but an abstinence-only program doesn't necessarily
give them the tools that they need if they do decide to become sexually active."
Bafaloukos warned that many STDs have no symptoms; consequently, the only way
to know is to get tested. Virtually all STDs are treatable, with many being
curable; however, untreated STDs can lead to cervical cancer and possibly to
infertility in women.
Vicki Hadd-Wissler, director of
education at Planned Parenthood, emphasized the importance of communicating
with one's partner. She stressed that discussing STDs and testing are the best
way to keep yourself and your partner healthy. During STD Awareness Month, Planned
Parenthood Arizona is offering a discount on testing for STDs.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit:
http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
