Posts
In an effort to address some of the
highest STD rates in the nation, Alaska lawmakers have introduced a new STD
prevention program that would emphasize the importance of using condoms to
protect against disease. The program also would provide access to free STD test
kits in the hopes that more people would identify their infection and seek
treatment. According to State HIV/STD Program Manager Susan Jones, untreated
STDs could cause long-term health effects such as miscarriage, babies born with
infections, and complicated infections in both men and women.
The 3-year, $360,000 campaign,
funded by the state legislature, is Alaska’s attempt to “get control” of its
high rate of incidence and would target the two groups most at risk: teens
under 17 and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. Jones added that some
infected residents refused to identify all their sexual partners or to inform
their partners of their risk of infection, the consequence of such behavior
motivated state health officials to change philosophies on STD prevention
strategies.
The new strategy, according to
Jones, was to embrace “unique” approaches, includes using humor as a means to
encourage condom use and open dialogue about safe sex. "We are hoping that
this campaign will put some of the responsibility on the folks that are sexually
active and they will try to protect themselves and their partners by using
condoms," Jones said.
Free condoms and STD kits can be
ordered online at http://www.iknowmine.org.
