Survey says STD tests not priority for many people

In the United States, 16.2 percent of people aged 14 to 49 have genital herpes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates that more than 700,000 people will be infected with gonorrhea every year — and only about half of the cases are reported. And although millions of people age 14 to 39 have been infected with chlamydia, under-reporting is high because many people are unaware of their infection.

Yet despite these staggering statistics, a new survey suggests many people will have intercourse with someone who refuses to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases — even though most said they knew it was risky.

“Discussions about sex and health are awkward, so we don’t have them,” said Michelle Sobel, co-founder of Analyte Media, which publishes the STD Test Express site and conducted the survey. Sobel said when a person has a crush on someone, they often don’t want to ask.

STD Test Express is an online testing clinic, which Sobel said is usually faster, easier, less expensive and more confidential for its clients than in-person versions.

“A lot of people want privacy and confidentiality,” she said. “You really don’t know if you have one or your partner has one unless you get tested.”

Sobel said the survey included 100 people — 50 men and 50 women. While the scientific reliability of the survey is questionable due to the non-random, comparatively small sample size, local experts said some of its findings likely aren’t far off the mark.

“It isn’t too far-fetched,” said Larisa Niles-Carnes, a Planned Parenthood of Indiana educator. “People just get caught up in the moment.”

Niles-Carnes said people are more inclined to let loose and take more risks than they would normally, especially during things like spring break and Little 500.

Niles-Carnes said a common rationalization is that “the hormones take control.” Other potential causes are a person’s education and awareness regarding STDs, the level of trust they share with the potential partner and, if they have consumed alcohol, how much they have consumed.

“There are a lot of factors that go into why people make decisions they might regret later,” said Erick Janssen, an associate scientist with The Kinsey Institute. He added mood to the list, citing research showing that some people are more likely to take sexual risks when they are anxious or depressed.

Niles-Carnes said she’d like to see more scientific studies on the issue, though the Planned Parenthood of Indiana doesn’t collect that kind of information from its clients.

Debby Herbenick, who works in the Center for Sexual Health Promotion and writes advice for Kinsey Confidential, said it’s important to know the results before engaging in sex, especially because many people believe that if they or their partner seem healthy, they must be. Because many infections are asymptomatic, meaning there are no apparent symptoms, at least at first, this is often not the case. She called chlamydia the “silent” sexually transmitted infection.

“A lot of women assume they go to the gynecologist and they’re being tested, and a lot of times that’s not the case,” she said.

However, college students might be better about protecting themselves than the general population, Herbenick said.

“You talk about these things. You’ve got great resources right on campus,” she said.

Kathryn Brown, a sexual health educator at the IU Health Center, said the key to changing the problem of risky sexual behaviors is understanding why people make certain choices, such as a feeling of invulnerability.

Another concern is the misconception that condoms are foolproof protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Herbenick said many people don’t use condoms during the entire intercourse. Even when the condom is on, it doesn’t cover the whole genital area, so diseases that live on the skin or in fluids can still be transmitted to an uninfected partner.

“I would never give the impression that it’s a 100-percent guarantee, but it does greatly reduce the risk of infection,” Brown said.

That’s assuming the partners use a condom in the first place, which many don’t. For instance, Brown said many people who use hormonal birth control are less likely to use condoms because they are less concerned about pregnancy and that some even believe the pill will protect them from STDs.

“‘I’m not at risk. This won’t happen to me,’” she said. “That’s the standard line people tell themselves.”