Export More Female Condoms, Not Abstinence Programs, Report Says

By: Penny Starr

Senior Staff Writer

(CNSNews.com) - The U.S. government must provide more funding for the worldwide distribution of female condoms while reducing the amount of money it spends on abstinence-until-marriage programs, according to Serra Sippel, executive director of the Center for Health and Gender Equity, or CHANGE.

"The Congressional earmark in PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) -- which we are in the process of trying to remove the earmark that (gives) money for abstinence and fidelity - what we've found from people we interviewed and from various studies is that the result of that is the stigmatization of condom use," Sippel said Tuesday at a briefing of the Global Health Council in Washington, D.C.

Sippel added that the goal of her advocacy group is to "really push the U.S. government to promote sexual and reproductive condom rights within U.S. foreign policy."

According to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the federally funded agency that distributes international aid, $457 million of its budget for FY 2008 is dedicated to family planning programs, including condom distribution.

The CHANGE briefing also marked the release of its "Saving Lives Now: Female Condoms and the Role of U.S. Foreign Aid" report. In it, the center states that the U.S. government supplied nearly 1.9 billion condoms worldwide between 2004 and 2007.

It also reports that the "the United States government plays an important role in shaping global trends in reproductive and sexual health supplies," with America providing 42 percent of "global donor support" for family planning, including the female condom.

But other advocacy groups say that U.S. foreign aid that promotes sexual activity is doing more harm than good around the world.

"Social radicals ... believe they must liberate Third World children from their benighted traditions and religions and to enlighten them in the way of the American teenager," Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic and Family Rights Institute, told Cybercast News Service. "That is, to be sophisticated about sex and riddled with STDs.

"These social radicals believe that young people not only can't, but shouldn't control themselves sexually," Ruse added. "They seek to tear down, rather than build up the human person."

The center's report also detailed strategies used to successfully distribute female condoms, including in Zimbabwe, where it credits Population Services International, another non-profit health advocacy group, for helping with the distribution of female condoms in that AIDS-stricken country.

"Because approximately 97 percent of Zimbabwean women visit a hair salon at least once a month, PSI also promoted female condoms to women in Zimbabwe using hair salons in low-income, urban areas," the report reads.

Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, cited another report to argue that abstinence programs, not condom distribution, can really help women at high risk for contracting AIDS.

A Feb. 2 article in National Geographic online, said a decline in AIDS rates in Zimbabwe was linked to "behavior changes," as first reported in the journal Science.

"Most important, researchers say, is the substantial decrease in casual sex partners reported by Manicaland residents," the National Geographic online article reported. "This, combined with increased abstinence by teenagers, may be contributing to the HIV decline."

"Our biggest problem is relying on methods that have had terrible failure rates," Wright told Cybercast News Service, "while denying them access to programs that have been proven effective."

Wright said groups with agendas like CHANGE are "trying to wipe out the competition by giving no federal funding for abstinence, even though the evidence shows that abstinence programs are effective in delaying sexual initiative and reducing HIV and AIDS rates."

House Panel Examining Federal Abstinence Programs

By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
April 23, 2008

(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) has introduced a bill urging the House of Representatives to spend more taxpayer money on the prevention, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

"We can no longer be silent about this issue, Tubbs Jones said. "The abstinence-only education touted by the Bush Administration is simply not enough."

But a conservative group says a new study by the Heritage Foundation shows that abstinence programs work. Fifteen of the 21 programs reviewed by Heritage analysts showed positive behavioral results, including delay or reduction of sexual activity, said the Family Research Council.

On Wednesday, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) was holding a hearing on abstinence programs.

Federally funded abstinence-only programs require the exclusive teaching of abstinence until marriage and prohibit teaching about condoms or other contraceptives -- other than to discuss failure rates. These programs have received over $1.3 billion in federal funding over the past decade, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee says on its Web site.

On Wednesday, medical and scientific experts, as well as youth educators, will testify before the committee on evidence of the effectiveness of abstinence-only programs and of "more comprehensive" programs -- those that include mentions of birth control.

The problem

Tubbs Jones says the United States has the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections in the industrialized world. Almost half occur in young people.

"The issue of sexually transmitted diseases has grown to epic proportions in this country," Tubbs Jones said in a news release. "What is most devastating is the toll that STD's are taking on our young women, particularly African American young women."

Pointing to numbers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tubbs Jones noted that 48 percent of young African American women are infected with an STD compared to 20 percent of young white women.

That 2008 report from the CDC estimated that 1 in 4 young women between the ages of 14 and 19 in the United States, or 3.2 million teenage girls, are infected with at least one of the of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, including human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes simplex virus, and trichomoniasis. These infections can lead to long-term health risks including infertility and cervical cancer.

Tubbs Jones said direct medical costs associated with STDs are as high as $15.3 billion a year.

Studies show abstinence works

The Family Research Council is hailing The Heritage Foundation for its "careful" review of 21 abstinence education programs.

"The research by Christine C. Kim and Robert Rector provides valuable data about the benefits of abstinence education programs and, most importantly, that it is the teens who benefit most," said FRC President Tony Perkins. "This paper also shows that none of the programs had a negative impact, despite what opponents of abstinence claim."

The Heritage researchers said they reviewed at 21 studies of abstinence education. Fifteen of the studies examined programs that were primarily intended to teach abstinence. Of those 15 studies, 11 reported positive findings.

The other six studies analyzed virginity pledges, and of those six studies, five reported positive findings.

"Overall, 16 of the 21 studies reported statistically significant positive results, such as delayed sexual initiation and reduced levels of early sexual activity, among youths who have received abstinence education. Five studies did not report any significant positive results," the Heritage Foundation said on its Web site.

"All of the evidence shows that sexual abstinence is the healthiest behavior for youth," the FRC's Perkins said. "Teaching and equipping youth with the skills to practice this behavior is the goal of genuine abstinence education."

The FRC says the federal government should support "effective" abstinence education programs like those the Heritage Foundation has reviewed, and not promote programs that encourage teens to engage in physically and emotionally risky sexual behavior.

"The government does not promote drug use or underage drinking, and it should not promote risky sexual behavior either," Perkins said.

Sex ed bill proposes more than abstinence-only

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Some Florida teens believe drinking Mountain Dew or smoking marijuana will prevent pregnancy and that swallowing a capful of bleach will prevent HIV/AIDS. One reason those dangerous myths have spread is the state's reliance on abstinence-only sex education, say advocates of a bill to require a more comprehensive approach in Florida's schools.

The measure narrowly won approval from a Sentate committee Tuesday. Under the proposed legislation, schools would still be required to teach abstinence as the only sure way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseasese, but they would have to teach more about sex. It would require, for example, teaching about condoms and other methods of birth control and disease prevention.

The bill's chances, though, remain slim with the annual 60-day legislative session nearly half over. The bill would have to clear three more committees before getting a Senate floor vote. The House version has yet to get a committee hearing.

"Young people are getting too little information too late,'' said Jenna Cawley, director of education for Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando.

Cawley urged the bill's approval as she told the Senate Education Pre-kindergarten-12th Grade Committee about the Mountain Dew, marijuana and bleach myths.

Opponents, including anti-abortion activists, claimed the bill's requirements would result in more, not fewer teen pregnancies as supporters argue.

"The only healthy, 100-percent effective way to prevent disease and pregnancy is abstinence,'' said Alison Lambrechts, a field coordinator for Project Reality, which provides sexual, alcohol and drug abstinence materials for schools.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, said Florida's current approach isn't working because the state has the sixth-highest teen pregnancy rate nationally.

He cited a recent University of Florida study showing the state's sex education programs vary widely in content, get little class time and that some students miss out entirely. Half of the middle schools and a third of high schools teach abstinence-only courses, according to the Florida Department of Education.

The committee voted 4-3 for the bill (SB 848). One Republican, Senate President Pro Tempore Lisa Carlton of Osprey joined the panel's three Democrats in favor of the bill. The other three Republicans voted no.

Source: The Associated Press, www.nwfdailynews.com

Use a Condom - You'll Live Longer

At the 2008 National STD Prevention Conference held in Chicago in early March, Dr. Sara Forhan released an alarming set of data referring to a study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in female teenagers.

Forhan studied 838 participants in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination survey, all of whom were female teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19. The study showed that approximately one in four teens had one of the four most common STDs found in women-HPV (Human papillomavirus,) Chlamydia, HSV-2 (Herpes simplex virus type 2), or Trichomoniasis.

That is 3.2 million members of America?s female population that have STDs that can cause lifelong damages such as genital cancers, genital herpes, and infertility, among other symptoms. Out of those 3.2 million, 15 percent have more than one of the four major STDs.

While there is no comparable data for male teenagers or young adults between the ages of 20 and 24, it is no secret that STDs in teen and young adults are on the rise. Quite often, it is more difficult to detect STDs that are generally symptom-free, such as HPV and Chlamydia in men, who typically do not undergo regular STD screening tests such as those for women. While the diseases are more prevalent in certain genders and backgrounds, it?s time for every one of us to take to step back to see what we?re up against and how we can fix this ever-growing problem.

Of the four STDs targeted in this study, the most prevalent STD found in teen girls was HPV, which affected 18 percent of the study's participants. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 25 percent of women aged 20 to 24 also have the disease at any given time. The majority of the American population will come in contact with one of the many strains of HPV before their 50th birthday. This is especially unfortunate because there is a strong link between HPV and cervical, penile, and anal cancers, as well as the occasional case of genital warts.

Next comes Chlamydia, a disease with little to no detectable symptoms. The rate of Chlamydia has gone up 36% in men and 16% in women from 2002 to 2006, the CDC says. Still, the disease is more than three times more common in women than men. Unfortunately for these women, Chlamydia is an extremely destructive force if left untreated and can lead to damage of the reproductive organs and infertility.

One out of five adolescents has genital herpes, the catalyst of which is primarily HSV-2, according to the CDC. Apart from genital herpes outbreaks, which do not occur right away and may be mistaken for another condition such as skin irritation in the early stages, there is no way to track HSV-2.

"Genital HSV-2 infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of eight),? the CDC website states. "This may be due to male-to-female transmission being more likely than female-to-male transmission."

Forhan's study also found a disparity in the race of infected teenagers in her study. While 20 percent of non-Hispanic whites and Mexican females were infected with one of the main four STDs, a shocking 48 percent of African-American females were affected.

"Factors contributing to the severe STD impact among African Americans include limited access to quality health care, as well as poverty. Additionally, a higher prevalence of STDs in this population may translate into a greater risk of being exposed. Finally, misperceptions of personal or partner risk may also be factors in increased risk for STDs among African American women," says Nikki Kay of the Center of Disease Control.

However, Dr. John Douglas, Director of the STD Prevention Division at the CDC, assures that the minority trend is not exclusive to African-Americans. ?When compared to whites, the Chlamydia rate among Hispanics is three times higher and the gonorrhea rate is twice as high. Hispanics also have the second highest rate of syphilis in the nation, followed closely by Native American/Alaska Natives, who also have the second highest rate of gonorrhea and Chlamydia in the U.S."

Overall, young females have more STDs than young males. Young African-Americans have more STDs than other races. Now we must consider that statement and ask ourselves why this is happening.

"We are seriously overdue to re-invent 'sex education' - to ensure that adolescents gain understanding about the underlying gender norms that actually shape much of their sexual health and well-being. Specifically, policies and programs need to emphasize young people?s critical thinking skills and their awareness of gender issues," Nicole Haberland and Debbie Rogow say in an editorial reacting to Forhan's study. The two authors wrote the article on behalf of the Population Council, a program which seeks to improve programs and policies for HIV/AIDS; poverty, gender, and youth; and reproductive health.

Haberland and Rogow suggest that the rise in STDs is directly linked to America?s perception of the traditional gender roles men and women play out in a sexual relationship.

"Girls who are submissive to male partners, or who agree that males should 'have more power in the relationship' are less able and less likely to negotiate condom use or to refuse unwanted sex. Boys who are socialized to equate masculinity with physical strength, emotional toughness, and aggressive behavior; with proving their heterosexuality; and with having multiple sexual partners are also at greater risk."

According to the authors, the only way to fix the problem is to develop a stronger focus on gender dynamics among teens. This focus is absent in most sexual education programs, whether they are abstinence or prevention-based.

"Unfortunately, sex educators in the US are busy battling right wing opposition and have had little time or space to heed this call,? Haberland and Rogow explain. "Indeed, most sex education programs ignore gender issues, or touch on them at best superficially."

The call for education on gender relations and stereotypes also offer a solution to the controversial call for "sex education" to be taught at a younger age since many students drop out of school before high school, when sexual education is usually taught. The authors discuss this in a November 2005 article entitled Sexuality and Relationships Education: toward a Social Studies Approach:

"Unfortunately, in some cases, implementing this shift boils focusing only on negative aspects of sexuality (protection against abuse) or on lessons about intercourse and contraception for children who are not prepared for such information. In contrast, a culturally appropriate focus on social norms related to gender might also be considerably more appropriate for under-12 children than focusing predominantly on sexuality per se."

Even when taught to teens, Haberland and Rogow have found that the few gender-based sexual education programs that exist have had their success. In Latin America, the Project H program for young males targets gender awareness issues. An evaluation of the program showed more condom use and less STD symptoms among its participants.

In the US, where there is also a great concern about the growing levels of STDs in youth, the authors have also found a program that?s got the attention of teens. "Another example, closer to home, is the Brooklyn-based nonprofit Scenarios USA. Scenarios sponsors a critical thinking and creative writing program through public school districts in New York City, Cleveland, South Texas, and Miami, as well as through Planned Parenthood and through Black Entertainment Television."

Scenarios USA presents a new theme based around issues of love, sex, and gender every year. This year?s theme is "What?s the real deal about masculinity?" The theme was discussed through a story, play, and scriptwriting contest, which will be translated into publications, performances, and films that will be displayed throughout high schools and via television.

The data released by Dr. Sara Forhan at the National STD Prevention Conference only supports a pattern that America has been trying to deter for years though health and education programs. STDs have a significant prevalence in teens between age 14 and 19, as well as young adults between age 20 and 24. This is especially true for women and minorities, who are as much affected by society?s social constructs as they are sexually transmitted diseases.

It is only through gaining a greater understanding of our own strengths and, perhaps more importantly, vulnerabilities that teens can conquer the norms of sex as we know it. We need to recognize the faults of traditional gender roles and utilize that knowledge to protect ourselves from undesirable sexual situations and consequences.

Those who see themselves as being in a favorable sexual situation must still be aware of both contraceptive and STD screening services available to them, both of which are crucial to STD prevention and treatment. According to a study by Sherry Farr and her colleagues at the CDC, it shows that only 39% of women are actually taking advantage of both services, thus putting themselves at unnecessary risk.

The old cliché "knowledge is power" has never been more relevant than in a case such as the struggles of teens and young adults against sexually transmitted diseases, so get educated and get involved!

SOURCE: Kait Silva, acedmagazine.com

Doctor training urged to fight syphilis spread

CHICAGO, March 17 (Reuters) - Syphilis is making a comeback in developed countries, spurred by illicit drug use and high-risk sexual behaviors, and many doctors are unprepared to recognize and treat it, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

They said syphilis has been on the rise since the beginning of the 21st century in high-income countries, but because the disease had been well controlled in the 1990s, doctors may not be screening for it.

"The key message here is that syphilis is again on the rise in several developing countries. In many of these countries we are seeing very high rates in men who have sex with men," said Dr. Kevin Fenton of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose study appears in the journal Lancet.

Fenton said the resurgence demands new training efforts among health-care professionals. "In many countries, physicians may have lost some of the skill sets associated with diagnosing syphilis," Fenton said in a telephone interview.

The CDC last week said the U.S. syphilis rate rose once again in 2007, marking the seventh consecutive year of increases. Homosexual and bisexual men accounted for 64 percent of syphilis cases in 2007, up from about 5 percent in 1999.

Syphilis infects some 12 million people worldwide every year. Most cases are acquired through sexual contact with a syphilis sore. Pregnant women can pass it on to their babies.

The recent resurgence is among a sub-group of men who have sex with men and engage in high-risk sex with multiple partners.

If not addressed, Fenton said the disease could become far more widespread.

"We have seen with other epidemics of sexually transmitted diseases that even if the initial rise occurs in men who have sex with men, it is unlikely to stay in that group for any long periods of time," Fenton said.

"The data suggest we are now seeing increases among heterosexuals in the U.S. and in Europe as well," he said.

Fenton and colleagues argue that the resurgence calls for swift public health intervention, including screening programs to prevent the spread of the infection, mass media campaigns, efforts to change behavior in high-risk groups and distribution of condoms.

"Efforts must be made to incorporate and evaluate new diagnostics tools, social network approaches, innovative evidence-based prevention interventions, robust disease surveillance and systematic monitoring and evaluation of prevention, treatment and care activities," they wrote.

Like many other sexually transmitted diseases, syphilis raises the likelihood of infection by or transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS.

Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It starts out as a sore, but progresses to a rash, fever, and eventually can cause blindness, paralysis and dementia.

SOURCE: Julie Steenhuysen, REUTERS.COM

1 in 4 teenage girls found to have sex-related disease

More than one in four teenage girls is infected with common sexually transmitted diseases, federal researchers reported Tuesday in a new study that for the first time quantifies a persistent problem.

Young women and girls ages 14 to 19 in "alarming" numbers are contracting human papilloma virus, chlamydia, genital herpes and trichomoniasis, said Dr. Sara Forhan, a researcher at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who led the study team. Almost half of black teens were infected.

An estimated 3.2 million have one or more of those four sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, all of which can cause permanent damage. Cancer-causing HPV was the most common STD by far, followed by chlamydia.

Teen girls get such diseases when they don't protect themselves by avoiding sex, using contraception and remaining monogamous. The problem of disease transmission is compounded because many do not get tested or treated, CDC officials said.

"They don't really think they can catch it. They just don't believe they would be the ones to get it," said Lourdes Salgado, 17, a Plantation High School senior who gives talks to students about how to avoid STDs.

STD rates were higher among black female teens, with 48 percent infected compared with 20 percent of white and Mexican teens, the study showed. CDC officials blamed the disparity partially on a lack of access to health care and education, but said the main reason is that STDs are more prevalent in the black community, making each sexual encounter more risky.

"This does not mean African-Americans are taking higher individual risks than other groups. In fact, research suggests the opposite," said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., director of sexually transmitted disease prevention at the CDC. Still, he said, the nation must face "this extraordinary racial disparity."

The high infection rates were not a surprise, said health officials in South Florida and elsewhere, but the study puts harder numbers to the problem. Researchers based the new estimate on a 2004 nationwide health assessment program that examined, among others, 838 teen girls in what was called a representative sample of the U.S. population.

No state breakdowns were done, but Florida has reported rising numbers of teen girls with STDs. Almost 14,000 girls ages 10 to 19 contracted chlamydia in 2005, including 1,100 in Broward and 615 in Palm Beach County. Overall, chlamydia cases rose 75 percent in the prior decade.

The four STDs are not considered as serious as HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea and syphilis, which were not tracked in the study. But all can damage the body if left untreated. HPV can cause cervical cancer, the bacterial infection chlamydia can lead to abnormal pregnancies, and genital herpes viruses and the parasite trichomoniasis can make it easier to catch HIV/AIDS.

The study showed that about half of teens reported being sexually active, and about 40 percent of those were infected.

A second CDC study showed that the nation's health care system misses many opportunities to test teen girls when they come into clinics for contraception, Douglas said. Only 38 percent who came in after unprotected sex were tested, counseled or treated.

"We need to do a better job on lots of different fronts," Douglas said.

An HPV vaccine for girls and women ages 11 to 26 has been available since 2006 but is controversial. Critics have argued that giving it to young girls may encourage promiscuity and expose them to side effects. But many advocates say it's a strategy for preventing an infection that kills 3,700 women annually.

A few states made the vaccine mandatory for school admission, while Florida and others have not.

Plantation High School's Salgado said South Florida teens often ignore advice to get tested because it's not easy to find or reach a testing site.

"It's far away and some can't get there," she said. "Some don't know about it. Some are scared to go because of their parents."

Salgado is leading a group organizing an HIV/AIDS testing day March 25 across from her school. A small-scale attempt at another school last month brought 46 teens to a mobile testing van, said Norman Powell, president and CEO of Comserv Inc., a community group.

SOURCE: Bob LaMendola, www.sun-sentinel.com

Group gets to test new Merck AIDS drug in gel

WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - A group working to develop a gel or cream women could use to protect themselves against the AIDS virus said on Tuesday they have permission to use an experimental new drug from Merck and Co.

It is the sixth HIV drug to be tested by the International Partnership for Microbicides, said the group's chief executive officer, Dr. Zeda Rosenberg.

The drug is known only by its experimental name L'644. It is a member of a class of drugs known as gp41 fusion inhibitors. They stop the AIDS virus from attaching to the immune system cells it targets.

"It's a completely different mechanism of action to what we have currently under development and what the field has under development," Rosenberg told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"It's pretty early in the life cycle for HIV. Most of us feel that, for a microbicide to be really effective, it has to get at the infection in its earliest timepoints."

Microbicides are products, such as gels or creams, that could be applied vaginally or anally to prevent transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.

So far, attempts to create a microbicide have failed.

The AIDS virus has infected 33 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization. It has killed 25 million, and there is no vaccine to prevent the fatal and incurable virus.

Condoms can protect men and women, but health experts note that many men refuse to use them. In many countries, a women who demands that her husband or partner use a condom can face refusal or even a beating.

According to the United Nations, in sub-Saharan Africa almost 61 percent of adults infected with HIV are women. Most cases of HIV are transmitted sexually.

The nonprofit IPM has another agreement with Merck for a royalty-free license to develop another compound, L'167/CMPD167, which belongs to the class of molecules known as CCR5 blockers.

"Merck is pleased to contribute the results of our research and development to this worldwide effort to protect women from HIV infection," said Dr. Daria Hazuda, vice president of scientific affairs for infectious disease and HIV at Merck Research Laboratories.

The microbicides group also has agreements with Pfizer to develop its CCR5 blocker maraviroc; with Gilead Sciences to develop tenofovir, a licensed HIV drug; with Bristol-Myers Squibb; and with Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Tibotec Pharmaceuticals to try to make a microbicide out of its HIV drug dapivirine.

The field could use some successes.

Last month a study showed one microbicide candidate, called Carraguard, did not protect women from infection.

Two other potential microbicides have made women more likely to become infected -- a spermicide called nonoxynol-9 and a product called Ushercell, made by Toronto-based Polydex Pharmaceuticals. (Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

SOURCE: By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor, guardian.co.uk

FDA Warning - Internet Sales of Bogus STD Preventatives

The FDA issued an emergency alert today warning consumers of drugs being sold on the Internet falsely claiming that they can prevent or treat sexually transmitted diseases. The products are sold under the names of Tetrasil, Genisil, Aviralex, OXi-MED, Imulux, Beta-mannan, Micronutrient, Qina, and SlicPlus and make claims such as:

"Treatment Kills all Herpes Viruses WITHOUT having to use conventional drugs or medications," "Greatest STD Protection Without Condoms," (SlicPlus) and "The active ingredient in our product is FDA certified to destroy 99.9992 percent of all pathogenic organisms [ie] Chlamydia" (OXi-MED).

Since these drugs have not been submitted to the FDA, they are in violation of FDA rules and should not be taken as they have not been tested for the safety or effectiveness and may pose a health threat to consumers. The FDA regards these drugs as "mislabeled" and/or "misleading" and states they do not include sufficient instructions for consumers.

Consumers should stop taking these drugs immediately and should report any adverse effects to the FDA's MedWatch group at 800-FDA-1088.

SOURCE: Edmund A. Normand, Editor orlandoinjuryboard.com

Contraceptives: What about your health?

Your method of birth control can actually do more than just protect against pregnancy. It may also affect things such as your appearance and your risk of certain kinds of cancer.

Health benefits
Some methods of birth control have benefits for your health.

Clearer skin: Studies have shown a connection between the use of the birth control pill and decreased amounts of acne. This is because the pill can moderate levels of hormones called androgens, regulating the production of oil in the skin.

Protection from certain diseases: The birth control pill is associated with protection from some diseases affecting women. These include benign ovarian cysts, endometrial (uterine) cancer, ovarian cancer, iron deficiency (anemia), and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Reduced pain and menstrual flow: Birth control methods that contain hormones are linked to a reduction in the volume of menstrual flow and the painful cramps that often accompany your period.

Protection against STIs: Condoms provide protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Depending on the nature of your sexual relationship, this protection can be vital, even if you use another form of birth control, because the other forms of birth control do not provide protection from diseases such as AIDS/HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (associated with genital warts and cancer of the cervix), and syphilis.

Things to watch out for
Your state of health is an important consideration when deciding on or during the use of any birth control method. Certain birth control methods may affect some medical conditions, and medication for some conditions may change the effectiveness of some birth control methods.

Antibiotics: The antibiotic rifampin reduces the effectiveness of birth control pills. As for other antibiotics, there is less conclusive evidence that they decrease the effect of oral contraceptives. This effect may only occur in a small number of women. But it's best to err on the side of caution, as more research is needed to determine the effect of antibiotics on the modern low-dose birth control pills used today. Adding a barrier method (e.g., male or female condom) is a good idea if you're taking antibiotics.

Medical conditions: Women with epilepsy need to determine the proper form of birth control with their doctor and neurologist. Many anti-seizure medications may reduce the effectiveness of hormone-based birth control methods by speeding up the breakdown of these hormones in the liver. Including a barrier method will reduce the chance of pregnancy.

Women who have any of the following conditions should talk to their doctor before deciding on a birth control method:

• high blood pressure
• liver disease
• history of blood clots in a vein (deep vein thrombosis) or lung (pulmonary embolism)
• migraine headaches
• family history of stroke

Latex allergy: Most male condoms are made of latex. People who are allergic to latex can consider such options as condoms made from polyurethane and female condoms. Lambskin condoms are also available, but they offer less protection against STIs. If protection from STIs is not an important issue, there are many options, ranging from sponges to IUDs to pills.

SOURCE: MediResource, canada.com

Sex Ed For Your Kids: One Talk Won't Do

(WebMD) Ideally, that "facts of life" talk you have with your children should be a series of sex ed discussions that cover a range of topics, rather than one long talk, according to a new study.

"Because of discomfort with the topic, there is that hope that it can be taken care of with a single talk," says Steven C. Martino, PhD, study researcher and a behavioral scientist at Rand Corp. in Pittsburgh.

But his new study, published in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics, suggests that a continuous, repetitive, wide-ranging conversation with your kids about sex is the better approach.


Study: Beyond the "Big Talk"

"We know [already] that the more parents talk to their kids [about sex], the better off the kid is in terms of healthy beliefs," Martino says, citing previous research. Children whose parents talk often about sex education are more likely to delay sex until an older age and to take precautions when they do become sexually active, he says.

In the new study, Martino and his colleagues wanted to assess the independent influence of repeating topics and covering many topics on the teen's perceptions of their relationships and communication with their parents.

"What we were interested in is whether the extent to which having repeated discussions about sexual topics and also covering a wide variety of topics matter" in terms of how teens feel about their relationship with their parents and how easy it was or wasn't to talk to them about sex.

The researchers polled 312 teens in grades 6 through 10, and their parents. They responded to four surveys during the yearlong study, telling whether they had discussed each of 22 sex-related topics and how often they had. Teens rated their overall relationship with their parents, too, including their ability to communicate about sex and other topics.

Among the topics: the making of decisions about whether to have sex, consequences of getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant, selection of a birth control method , what it feels like to have sex, and protection offered by condoms.


Study Results: Repetition Key in Sex Ed

Repetition was good, the researchers found. "We found that kids whose sexual communication with their parents involved more repetition felt closer to their parents, better able to communicate with them in general and about sex in particular, and they perceived their discussions about sex happened more easily and with more openness in comparison to kids whose communication involved less repetition," Martino tells WebMD.

The greater the number of topics that were discussed, the more openness teens said they felt during these talks.

At the start of the study, the average number of topics that teens had discussed was seven of the 22.

"On average we found that parents and teens had 10 repeat discussions over the course of the year," Martino says. That is, they revisited a topic previously discussed that often. Regarding breadth of topics, the average number of new topics discussed during the study was reported as three, on
average.


Sex Ed: The Role of Repetition and "Breadth"

"We think that having these repeated discussions is so important because it helps kids to better understand the information," Martino says. "It helps them to get a clear sense of what their parents' values are, and it boosts parent and child feelings of comfort in talking about sex ."

Revisiting a topic allows children to ask clarifying questions, he says, and allows parents to talk about topics in a more age-appropriate way as a child matures. Some abstract topics become less so as the child gets older, he adds.


Second Opinion

The study reinforces what is seen anecdotally, says Vanessa Cullins, MD, MPH, MBA, vice president for medical affairs for Planned Parenthood of America, New York, who reiewed the study results for WebMD.

What is new about the study, she says, is the importance of the repetition and variety of topics.

The study, she says, "reinforces what Planned Parenthood has always believed in, and that is that parents should be the primary educators in a child's life, and that the best way to keep teens healthy and safe is to have open, honest communication [about sexual matters]."

As parents, she says, "you just can't deal with the subject of sex infrequently or every blue moon." It should be a frequent part of household conversation, she says.


Sex Ed Advice for Parents

Lack of preparation is one cause of discomfort for parents when asked questions about sex by their kids, Martino says. Prepare yourself for the expected questions ahead of time, he suggests. Anticipate you'll be asked questions sooner than you think -- maybe even when your children are still toddlers.

"It's OK to admit you feel uncomfortable," he says. It's also OK, he says, to gather more information on a topic and get back to your kids.

One way to ease into talks about sex, Martino says, is to look for what he calls "teachable moments." If something is in the news that is sexually related, or something happened at school that lends itself to discussion, take advantage, he says.

Take advantage, too, of prepared materials that may help you, Cullins says. Many Planned Parenthood affiliates in the U.S. offer special programs that help parents talk to their kids about sex, she says.

SOURCE: Kathleen Doheny, Web MD, article featured on CBSNews.com

Staying safe in the sack - Protection for All

There is an abundance of information out there about safety during straight sex, but what about gay sex? Whether you are gay, bisexual or just curious, you should make sure you know your facts and your options before you have sex.

Q: I know the standard run-of-the-mill issues that come along with straight sex, but I'm bi, so what do I need to know about the risks that come along with gay sex?

A: I think one of the most incorrect assumptions society makes is that people can't contract sexually transmitted infections if they are having sex with someone of the same gender. This is not true. Though it's always a good idea to use protection, we can't always be certain of our partner's STI status, so you should take some precautions to protect both of you.

If you are engaging in lesbian sex, you should be focusing on the use of barriers. Barriers like a dental dam are most effective. According to Brown University's student health website, "dental dams are small, thin, square pieces of latex that are used for oral-vaginal or oral-anal sex.? They are placed between the giver's mouth and the receiver's vulva or anus. If used correctly, these should block the passing of potentially dangerous fluids both from the vagina and from the mouth.

If you don't want to buy dental dams, Brown's website suggests that you can use a latex glove, regular condoms or they also recommend using Saran Wrap. If you choose Saran Wrap, Brown?s website says "it is important that it be non-microwavable because the pores in microwaveable saran wrap are large enough to allow viruses and bacteria to pass through." Who knew?

If you are using sex toys, these also need to be cleaned or protected when going from one person to another. In addition to that, use toys that are made of non-porous and nontoxic materials like silicone. These kinds won't absorb very much fluid, keeping you safer.

For gay men, there are also some things to remember during sex. For male-to-male oral sex, a regular condom can be used to block the spread of fluids from the mouth to the penis and vice versa. If you can't stand the taste of latex, you have the option of using flavored condoms or flavored lubricant. They come in all flavors, so you won?t be stuck with something you find gross.

When having anal intercourse, a condom also should be worn because most infections, like HIV, are most easily spread through anal intercourse. Because most people find that they need a lot of lubricant during anal sex, check to see if you are using the right kind. Oil-based lubricants like Vaseline can ruin the latex of the condom, so make sure that your lubricants are always water-based when condoms are involved.

To be safe when having gay sex, you need to focus on keeping your fluids away from your partner's, as is also true with straight sex. It's just that some of the details are a little different.

SOURCE: Tiffany Harms, dailyevergreen.com

5 things you didn't know about HPV

1 Cancer connection: There are more than 100 types of Human papillomaviruses or HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Most are harmless, but about 30 types put you at risk for cancer. Almost all women will have HPV infections at some point, but very few will develop cervical cancer; their immune systems will usually suppress or eliminate HPVs, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only HPV infections that do not go away over many years lead to cervical cancer.

2 How you get it: Through skin-to-skin sexual contact with an infected partner. Transmission by genital contact without intercourse is not common, but it has been reported. Oral-genital and hand-genital transmission of some HPV types is possible, says the American Cancer Society.

3 Common: Infection is very common soon after a woman becomes sexually active. In one recent study, more than 50 percent of college-age women were found to have acquired an HPV infection within four years of first having sex, says the American Cancer Society.

4 Prevention: Abstinence or a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner, although it's difficult to tell if a partner who has been sexually active in the past is infected. Correctly using latex condoms greatly reduces the risk, but it doesn't completely protect because areas not covered by a condom. A new vaccine called Gardasil is recommended for 11- and 12-year-old girls before their first sexual contact. Another promising vaccine, Cervarix, is being tested, but hasn't been approved yet. Studies suggest the vaccines can protect against some HPV for at least four years; the need for a booster vaccine is being researched. A controversial Florida bill that would have required all sixth-grade girls to be vaccinated died in the Florida Legislature last year.

5 Guys: HPV also can cause genital warts, penile and anal cancer. It now causes as many cancers of the upper throat as tobacco and alcohol, probably due both to an increase in oral sex and the decline in smoking, researchers say. A vaccine for boys may soon become available, which also would help prevent men from spreading the virus to women.

SOURCE: JODI MAILANDER-FARRELL, MIAMIHERALD.COM

Web site allows anonymous warning of STD infections

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - A Web site that enables people with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to send anonymous email warnings to their partners could help slow a rise in new infections, a New York health official said.

InSpot.org uses the E-Card model to send messages like "I'm So Sorry" to notify people that they may have been exposed to a disease. It also offers information about getting tested and treatment.

"Making use of some of the emerging technologies makes sense," said Sue Blank, of New York's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

"We're getting the word out to the community."

Blank hopes the site will help to reduce new syphilis infections in New York which rose by 56 percent during the first half of the current fiscal year.

Users of the site, which went online in San Francisco in 2004, can choose from a selection of messages.

"It provides an easy, convenient, anonymous way for people to be responsible about notifying their partners about a possible exposure to an STD," said Deb Levine, of the San Francisco Internet Sexuality Information Services, which created InSpot with the city's Department of Public Health.

There are 15 million new cases of STDs in the United States each year, according to the Web site. The rise in syphilis in New York mirrors a national trend that shows syphilis has risen sharply among gay and bisexual men in the United States this decade.

Levine said that in San Francisco, syphilis rates have fallen since the site was introduced.

In addition to New York and San Francisco, the Web site is now active in six other U.S. cities. It has also been launched in eight U.S. states, as well as two Canadian cities and Romania.

SOURCE: Edith Honan, Reuters.com

USC students' demand for condom dispensers denied

Since administrators decided against installing condom machines in University of South Carolina residence halls, students will have to go a little further for safety when they want to go all the way.

The Residence Hall Association, representing student residents, took an opinion poll that found most USC students wanted condom machines installed in dorms. Student residents and the RHA alike said the administration's decision was a disappointment.

The school is reluctant to install these machines because the administration fears it will hurt its public image, said Assistant Director of Student Learning Sean McGreevey.

"The university's number one concern is recruitment and retention," he said. "There is a proportion of people out there who will view these machines negatively and the administration has to take that into account."

SOURCE: Kimberly Wexler, www.dailyfreepress.com

Though the school decided against installing in-dorm condom machines this year, the RHA and the administration will continue discussing the possibility of installing them in the future, said RHA President Amanda Pippin.

"I think if these condom machines prevent even one couple from engaging in unsafe sex, then the project of installing them would be worthwhile," she said.

Pippin said the RHA plans to tackle the image issue by installing the machines in areas accessible only to dorm residents, avoiding public bathrooms or dorm lobbies.

"They will only be available and noticeable to the residents of that particular dorm," she said.

USC freshman Ben Orpizcolon said the public's perception of in-dorm condom machines will vary, but the machines will ultimately benefit students. Though residence advisors make condoms available, he said, many people are embarrassed about something so personal.

"It would benefit students and encourage safe sex to have them available in the dorms," he said.

While Northeastern University has condom machines in some residence halls, Northeastern student health representatives would only confirm the school has them and declined further comment.

Boston University Student Health Services offers free condoms in its office waiting area and allows students to purchase up to 20 condoms for $5.

BU spokesman Colin Riley said regardless of image, BU does not need condom machines in dorms because there is no shortage of places that sell condoms on or near campus.

"We believe that our students are mature and able to make these decisions responsibly," he said. "Practicing unsafe sex is a sign of immature and uninformed decision making, especially because condoms are available all over the city."

SOURCE: Kimberly Wexler, dailyfreepress.com

Contraception: It's better to be doubly safe than sorry

A new study indicates that the safe sex message is getting through to Australian women, with nearly 70 per cent of those surveyed currently using contraception and 15 per cent using not one but two contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy and protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases.

The study, by Dr Nick Parr and Dr Stefania Siedlecky from Macquarie University's Demographic Research Group, was published recently in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.

It uses survey data from more than 3000 women aged between 18 and 44 about their contraceptive use. The variation in the seven most prevalent contraceptive practices between different age groups, marital status, parity, education level, place of residence, birthplace, and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent was examined.

Results showed that education, cultural factors arising from ethnic background and the nature of sexual and family relationships were all important factors in determining contraceptive choices.

Two-thirds of respondents were using contraception, including more than 15 per cent who used more than one method. The contraceptive pill was the most widely used method (39 per cent), followed by the condom (28 per cent). Interestingly, more than one-quarter of pill users (28 per cent) were using condoms as well.

"Following its introduction in 1961, the oral contraceptive pill was rapidly adopted by Australian women, while the use of other methods, including condoms, declined," explain Parr and Siedlecky. "However, the arrival of HIV/AIDS in Australia in 1982 focused attention on the public health implications of contraceptive use, particularly the importance of condom use. Consequently condom use increased.

"Condoms are the only contraceptive that protect against sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS for both men and women. However, since the condom alone is less effective as a contraceptive than hormonal methods and intra uterine devices (IUDs), the twin goals of preventing the spread of STIs and preventing unwanted pregnancy through the simultaneous use of both the pill and the condom - so-called dual protection - has been advocated."

While the study indicates that the use of the Pill and the increasing use of dual protection methods have been adopted by most subgroups, it appears a more widespread use of condoms is required among particular groups.

"Women under 25 and students were found significantly more likely to use the combination of pill and condom," say Parr and Siedlecky. "This could reflect a greater number of sexual partners in this demographic and the associated greater need for protection against both STIs and unwanted pregnancy.

"However, rising rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea indicate there is still a need for more widespread use of condoms, either as a single method or combined with other methods. High rates of STIs and lower levels of condom use, either alone or in combination, may also be an indication of a greater need for education and access among people living in remote Australia or for those of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent."

SOURCE: Macquarie University, PHYSORG.COM

Free love isn't

Ah, the swinging 60s and 70s. Those were the days. Sex was an egocentric activity engaged in, solely and indiscriminately, for pleasure.

"Spreading the love" was a humanitarian activity, not a euphemism within the medical community for the increased distribution of STDs among the population. This was all, of course, before the official discovery of AIDS by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on June 5, 1981.

After the discovery of AIDS, using protection such as condoms became the expectation and the norm for highly developed societies.

Or did it? Judging by the way college students have sex today, one might think that it was 1972 and not 2008. Several students interviewed admitted to having unprotected sex regularly, though they are informed of the risk involved.

In a random Hodges Library sample, 8 out of 10 students admitted to having unprotected sex at least once.

Some of the comments that were shared regarding their decisions:

"Sex feels better without a condom."

"I was drunk, and it was only one time."

"I haven't gotten anything yet."

"Condoms suck."

"I didn't want to, but she said she was clean."

"I trust him."

News flash: It only takes one unprotected sack session to contract an STD. There is no way to tell if someone is "clean" other than getting tested.

Most males have never been tested. A Pap test (standard yearly procedure for females) only screens for abnormalities. Separate tests are required for most STD diagnoses, including HIV and herpes. Most women do not know this.

Condoms are not a get-out-of-jail-free card. Per the back label of a Trojan, "If used properly, latex condoms will help to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV infection (AIDS) and many other sexually transmitted diseases. Also highly effective against pregnancy."

Many STDs, such as Chlamydia, HPV (Human papillomavirus, aka genital warts), herpes, and HIV, can remain symptom less for months, or even forever. A person can be a carrier, spreading the disease to many others, without ever having a single outbreak.

Alternatively, a person aware that they have the disease can still spread it to others, regardless of whether or not they're having a visible outbreak.

Hold the phone. So are we just supposed to not have sex, ever? Not exactly. But with the STD rate steadily climbing, so is the average sexually active person's risk of exposure. Condoms aren't a guarantee, but they are a fairly sure bet, and certainly better than nothing.

Never engage in unprotected sex outside of a solid monogamous relationship. If you happen to be a swinging single with raging hormones, be a smart swinging single. Get tested regularly. And never dismiss the often overlooked joys of frottage and heavy petting.

SOURCE: Katherine Leone, tnjn.com

Safety is sexy, chlamydia is not

Back in the day it was called VD for venereal disease. And then we had STD for sexually transmitted disease. At present, the medically appropriate term is STI, for sexually transmitted infection.

The terminology changes, as does the awareness about them and the number of people afflicted. With an increase in education and awareness about condoms and STI testing, one might think that the numbers are going down. But the horizon ain't totally rosy. Let's check in on some stats of those with bacterial ants in the pants.

There is some good news, particularly on the increasingly less grim front of HIV/AIDS. New diagnoses of those with the virus have been relatively stable in Oregon since 1997, and they've been taking a slight decline in the last couple of years, hovering around 300 new cases a year in the state, but dipping to 270 in 2006.

Syphilis, too, has been a virtually nonexistent issue with a rate of 1.3 per 100,000 new Oregonians diagnosed with it in 2006. (As my doctor of a mother said, "Jesse, you really don't need to worry about that unless you're doing it with sailors or something.") And Oregon's rate of those newly diagnosed with any infection-for which data is available-is lower than the national average.

In some cases, however, our genital health is a little less jolly. Chlamydia rates, for example, have been on an aggregate rise in our state since a historic low in 1997. The rate then was 184.9 per 100,000 people. In 2006 it was 259.5. The scariest part about this is the fact that while chlamydia is often easily cured with antibiotics, the infection usually occurs with no symptoms, and as a result, often goes undiagnosed. The health consequences can be harsh, especially on women. In a report on recent STI trends, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tells us "Up to 40 percent of females with untreated chlamydia infections develop PID, and 20 percent of those may become infertile." The report goes on to say that while chlamydia complications among men are "relatively uncommon," it can, in rare cases, cause sterility.

Gonorrhea rates, while having remained relatively stable in Oregon for the last few years (and even showing signs of going down), have a separate and frightening can of worms to deal with. Long dealt with as an infection cured by antibiotics, a fast-growing number of cases are turning out to be resistant to the leading class of antibiotics used to treat it. Of the cases tested through a CDC surveillance project in 2006, 13.8 percent were found to be resistant. Alternative antibiotics are now being used to treat it, but other drug-resistant strains exist, and alternative antibiotics can often come with higher prices and more side effects.

Not to mention diseases like HPV, which the CDC estimates half of sexually active people will get at some point in their lifetime and which men cannot be tested for. Or genital herpes, which, it's estimated, one out of five adolescents and adults in the United States has. Scary stuff.

Finally, the fact that some rates of new diagnoses are stable is, quite bluntly, not good enough. A total 270 new diagnoses of HIV/AIDS a year in this state is 270 too many.

So what's the deal in our age of supposed enlightenment? Most people are smart enough to not fuck total strangers without protection. Most of us are smart enough to know how to put on a condom, and most of us know that using the withdrawal method is about as safe as taking the MAX out to Gresham.

But having unprotected sex with anybody, no matter how well you know them, is still unprotected and unsafe. Urban myths, like the idea that putting on two condoms means double the protection (uh, not true, by the way) or that you can't contract infections through oral sex, still persist. And condoms are effective, but like everything, they are not 100 percent.

So it bears repeating: If you are sexually active, use protection effectively and get screened for infections regularly. There are enough resources out there to get it done confidentially, cheap and without judgment. If your antsy untested partner is loath to the idea of protection, don't forget that it's not a matter of "Don't you trust me?" It's a matter of protecting yourself as well as your partner, every time, all the time.

SOURCE: Jesse Thiessen, dailyvanguard.com

If you really love her, wear a cover

With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, couples worldwide are scrambling in order to make the day as romantic and memorable as possible.

Between the methodical plans for candlelight dinners, bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates, there are two unwanted gifts distributed regularly that a significant other wants no part of.

These white elephants are unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, surprises that are easily preventable.

"Most people are aware that there are a lot of sexually transmitted infections out today, so it's a good idea if you're having sex to use [a condom]," James Almeda, health educator and sexual health and peer education coordinator at Student Health Services, said.

He added that one of the keys to avoiding these diseases is finding out about the partner's past.

"Just because you've been with someone for a long time, you don't necessarily know who they have been with before or if they've been exposed to something," he said. "The problem is you can never tell when someone is infected. They may have never had an outbreak, but can still transmit it."

So what is the best way for students to avoid contracting infections on such a historically passionate holiday?

"You need to use a barrier method like a condom to protect yourself," Almeda said. "Condoms or not engaging in intercourse are most used against STI's."

To stay clear of pregnancies, Almeda said the pill is the most popular form of contraception, but also offered advice for sexually active students.

"I recommend to students that are worried about STI's and pregnancy to use both a condom as well as another birth control method," he said.

However, some students are leery of condoms due to rumors of their ineffectiveness. But according to Kathie Spegel, director of education of East Central Illinois' Planned Parenthood, many condom failures are due to incorrect use.

"Most failure is through user mistakes, not condom failure itself," she said. "Using petroleum based lubrication, instead of water based, will break down the latex. Bubble backing, the use of two condoms at once, causes friction between the two pieces of latex and causes the break."

Other cautionary advice with condom use includes checking for fairly obvious signs. The expiration date on the wrapping should be checked to make sure it is still good. The packaging around the condom should also be checked for tears, since that can be seen as a warning sign for a broken condom.

Some believe certain brands of condoms are more effective than others. According to Almeda, that is not necessarily the case.

"If you look at the research, there's really no one brand that is best for protection. A lot of people have the perception that Trojan is the only brand of condom," he said.

"[Condoms] have to meet a certain effectiveness rate as far as protecting against STI's and pregnancies to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration."

He does warn about the use of specially labeled condoms that are available.

"You can buy condoms? that are made of what is called lambskin, natural skin or sheepskin. They are fine for protection against pregnancy, but they don't provide protection against STI's and HIV," he said.

To further the sexual knowledge on campus, Student Health Services offers the G-Spot, a traveling version of the Health Staff Resource Center. Located weekly at different spots on campus, it supplies students with condoms and a variety of important health information.

"The big focus of the G-Spot is sexual information. We do offer free condoms, but people realize that we have other health resources there too," Almeda said.

SOURCE: Philip P. Lasseigne, Daily Vidette Staff, dailyvidette.com

Making the love glove sexy

Don't want to be saddled with an STI? Wrap it up before you go for a roll in the hay.

Jennifer Parks, Edmonton Journal

In a nation where sexually transmitted infections (STI) are steadily increasing, many of us would rather play Russian roulette with our bodies than be seen in a drugstore buying condoms.

Access to contraception isn't the main barrier today, although if you live in a small town and your aunt works at the drug store, you may face greater challenges.

We live in a culture that has not yet normalized sexuality or condom use by embracing the love glove as an essential household item, like toilet paper or dish soap.

"Most people can afford contraception these days," says Laura Wershler, a spokeswoman for the non-profit group Sexual Health Access Alberta in Calgary.

"If you can go to Starbucks for coffee or Booster Juice for a smoothie, you can afford to buy condoms. It should be on everyone's grocery list."

Given the statistics, we can't afford not to practice safer sex.

Most young people today have sex before the age of 16, and yet condom use has declined over the past decade, says a new study by the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health.

Scarier still: Alberta has lower rates of condom use than the national average, the study states.

Whose responsibility is it to reverse this troubling trend?

Wershler applauds the courage of one mother who keeps a basket of condoms in the bathroom for her teenagers and their friends.

"The condoms don't get counted, and no questions are asked. If kids are going to have sex anyway, we need to empower them to protect themselves," says Wershler.

This is just one mother, one creative example for other parents, schools and community sex educators to learn from. While some good work is already being done in this area, more is needed -- and fast.

Reported STI rates have been steadily increasing since 1997, says the study.

More than two-thirds of new chlamydia cases occur among young people ages 15 to 24, and many instances go undetected because chlamydia often doesn't show symptoms. National syphilis and gonorrhea rates have also risen, and 20 per cent of new HIV cases occur among people under the age of 30.

"We need to talk about the increasing number of cases among young people," says Barbara Romanowski, infectious disease specialist at the University of Alberta.

"There is an increase in gonorrhea cases that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. With condom use, we can decrease the risk of all STIs drastically."

Condoms are nearly 100 per cent effective in preventing STIs, but would be 100 per cent effective if condoms were always used correctly, says Romanowski.

"Condoms break because they're not put on right. It's the most common error."

They can also break when there is too little lubrication during intercourse. Nothing kills the heat of the moment like a condom malfunction, followed by the inevitable worries about pregnancy or STIs.

We need to make condoms sexy again, says sexual health educator Brenda Kerber.

"We think condoms are inconvenient, a bother, that they don't feel good. Why not be more positive?" says Kerber, who owns The Travelling Tickle Trunk, a company that hosts home sex-toy parties.

"Use a condom, reduce your worry. It's much more sexy and fun."

The bottom line: always practise safe sex. Respect yourself and your partner. Don't skip the condom unless you're in a monogamous relationship and both of you have been tested for STIs and HIV, and there is mutual trust.

Don't gamble with your body and health. Some games just aren't worth playing.

Safe Sex Tips

- Always make condoms a part of sexual activity. We're animals. We get conditioned. Before long, the sight of a condom will trigger excitement.

- Keep condoms in your purse, bedside and glove compartment, so you can get to them fast. Don't keep them in your wallet, or anywhere they can be damaged.

- If you know you're going to have sex, take the condom out of the package beforehand so it's ready when you are.

- Have your partner put on the condom. It's more fun if someone is touching you, and it keeps the excitement flowing.

- Always squeeze the end of the condom as you're putting it on to leave room for the ejaculate. If not, it could break.

- Put a drop of lube in the tip of the condom for greater sensation. Use only water-based lubricants like KY Jelly, because oil-based products like Vaseline destroy latex.

Source: Brenda Kerber, The Travelling Tickle Trunk