Awareness:  Top 10 Risk Factors for Acquiring an STI

Elizabeth Boskey, Ph.D., has published several articles about risk factors associated with acquiring an Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).  For clarification purposes, please note that an STD is a subset of all Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI).  The difference between an STD and STI?  An STD is an STI that is already noticeable to your body and causing problems.

Dr. Boskey has identified the Top 10 Risk Factors for Acquiring an STD:

1. Unprotected Sex --an obvious risk factor that is best managed by condom use before every sexual encounter.
2. Multiple Partners --again, sounds obvious.  But remember, compounding this risk factor is the fact that a person who chooses to have multiple partners also tends to select partners who enjoy a similar lifestyle involving multiple partners.  In other words, nobody in this scenario is monogamous and the risk of contracting an STI is significant.
3. Being Under 25 Years Old / Early Age of Sexual Onset --young people, particularly females, are more susceptible to STIs than older people because they are biologically more vulnerable and they may engage in more sexual risk-taking behaviours.
4. Alcohol Use --alcohol reduces inhibitions and may contribute to less discriminating behaviour when engaging in sexual activity.
5. Illicit Drug Use --drug use can contribute to faulty decision-making and risky behaviours such as having sex without a condom.  Additionally, IV drug use is correlated to the increased risk of acquiring blood-borne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis.  Both of these diseases can be acquired through unprotected sex.
6. Trading Sex for Money / Drugs --some people who trade sex for money and / or drugs may not be sufficiently empowered to negotiate that the sex be safe sex.
7. Living in a Community with a High Prevalence of STIs --people living in a city or area with a higher rate of STIs are at increased risk any time that they have sex with a member of that community.
8. Serial Monogamy --while a person may be monogamous, he or she may still have several relationships in the span of a year.  The increased risk comes not from just from multiple consecutive partners but also from the fact that some people stop using precautions for sex when in a monogamous relationship.
9. Having an STI --a person that already has an STI is at increased risk for acquiring another STI possibly due to lifestyle factors and / or immune system compromise.
10. Using Birth Control Pills as Sole Form of Contraception --people who use birth control pills to avoid pregnancy sometimes are reluctant to use a condom to prevent STIs because of social implications with their partner. 

Learn more:  Top 10 Risk Factors for Acquiring an STD

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