Many Americans are misinformed regarding how sexually transmitted diseases spread About a third think they can only be transmitted through sexual intercourse Another 20% think they only need to be tested if they have symptoms THURSDAY, June 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Many sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in the United States, and a nationwide poll indicates that ignorance about how they're transmitted could be fueling their spread. About a third of Americans (34%) falsely believe sexually transmitted infections ( ) can only be transmitted through sexual intercourse, poll results show. In fact, they can also be transmitted by kissing, sharing needles and during childbirth.
It also found that 1 in 5 Americans (20%) think they only need to be tested for STIs if they are experiencing symptoms. “We’re likely still experiencing some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic when STI prevention services were completely shut down,” researcher , a professor of clinical internal medicine with Ohio State University’s Division of Infectious Diseases, said in a news release. Syphilis cases have jumped 80% over a five-year period, researchers said in background notes.
Worse, cases of congenital syphilis – in which women pass the bacteria to their babies during pregnancy – increased 180% between 2018 and 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the pandemic, “a lot of STIs were undiagnosed and under-reported then, allowi.