Episode 288: What You Don’t Know About STIs (Essential Listen)

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Apr 30, 2024

Learn surprising facts about STIs, like why more partners don't always mean more STIs. Discover how sexual practices and grooming habits affect STI rates. Get tips on discussing STIs with partners and breaking taboo. Dr. Ina Park shares insights on sexual health and relationships.

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ANECDOTE

Partners and STIs

A man with two partners tested positive for gonorrhea.
A man with 20-25 partners tested negative, highlighting that partner number isn't everything.

INSIGHT

Concurrency vs. Serial Monogamy

Concurrency, where individuals have multiple overlapping partners, increases STI spread.
Serial monogamy, even with multiple partners, poses less risk if testing occurs between partners.

INSIGHT

Immunity and STIs

Individual immunity varies, some clearing infections spontaneously.
Chlamydia can be asymptomatic for months in some, while others experience severe consequences like PID.

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It’s STI Awareness Month, so let’s take some time to brush up on our knowledge of sexually transmitted infections. You may think you already know everything there is to know, but trust me, you don’t! In today’s show, we’re going to discuss some surprising and lesser-known facts about STIs that challenge the conventional wisdom. For example, is someone who has a larger number of sexual partners necessarily more likely to have an STI than someone with fewer partners? Likewise, are things like pubic hair grooming and the rise of online dating apps affecting STI rates?

For this show, we’re revisiting my conversation with Dr. Ina Park from all the way back in episode 39. She is an associate professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and author of the book Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs.

Why is it the case that having more sexual partners doesn’t necessarily translate to having more STIs?
Broadly speaking, how do some of our sexual practices shape STIs?
What’s the relationship between pubic hair grooming and STIs?
What are some tips for individuals who want to talk about STIs with a sexual and/or romantic partner?
How can we break down STI taboo and stigma to facilitate more open conversations on the subject?

You can learn more about Ina’s work here.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.

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Passionate about building a career in sexuality? Check out the Sexual Health Alliance. With SHA, you’ll connect with world-class experts and join an engaged community of sexuality professionals from around the world. Visit SexualHealthAlliance.com and start building the sexuality career of your dreams today.

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.