Globally, more than 1 million curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are contracted every day in people aged 15–49. These include chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis, among others. In Australia, it’s estimated one in six people will receive an STI diagnosis in their lifetime – and the numbers are going up .
Very few common infections are stigmatised in the way STIs are, which makes them a particularly complex public health problem. Stigma perpetuates shame and anxiety among those diagnosed with an STI, which can lead people to delay testing or treatment . Stigma can also make it difficult for people to tell their sexual partners about an STI diagnosis.
A recent study found only around half of people disclosed or believed they should disclose an STI to a partner before having sex. The study, published this month in the Journal of Sex Research, was a systematic review, which means the researchers analysed the results of several studies. They looked at a total of 32 papers, mostly from the United States, with some from the United Kingdom and Australia.
The study included a range of STIs, but excluded HIV. When the researchers combined the results of these studies, they found only half or fewer people told a partner if they had an STI, or believed they should disclose this information to a partner, before having sex. Common reasons for not telling a sexual partner about an STI included fear about how their partner would respond, and fear of rejection by their partner.
