SR: Volume 30 Number 1

Emerging Issues in STD Prevention, Volume 30 Number 1

Articles are:

The HPV/Condom Controversy Provides Opportunities for Education

Microbicides: Expanding the Options for STD Prevention

The National Plan to Eliminate Syphilis: Cooperation, Collaboration, and Commitment

Chlamydia Infection in Women: Bad News, Good News, and Next Steps

The Lost Children of Rockdale County: Teenage Syphilis Outbreak Revisted

Sexuality Educators Talk About Their Career Paths

Also in This Issue...

Fact Sheet: Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the United States

From the President: "We Must Eliminate Vulnerability to STDs"

From the Editor:

Preventing STDs Requires that People Stay Informed and Use Common Sense

Mac Edwards

I have spent many hours commuting on trains and subways for the past 30 years. I regularly use this time to read—usually newspapers, magazines, and books to keep myself updated on as many subjects as possible. That’s why friends and colleagues rarely see me without a brown leather bag filled to overflowing with everything from The New York Times to O: The Oprah Magazine to the new critically praised novel by Johathan Franzen called The Corrections and much more

This issue of the SIECUS Report on “Emerging Trends in STD Prevention” reminds me of the importance of reading and keeping updated on subjects. Time and again, the writers in this issue tell us that, if we are to protect ourselves from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), we must understand what we are dealing with and what we need to do to protect ourselves. We must arm ourselves with information and common sense.

I was happy to see this message emphasized in this SIECUS Report—showing again that comprehensive sexuality education—meaning sound, current information—is the key to a sexually healthy America.

IN THIS ISSUE

The question of whether condoms protect individuals from the human pamploma virus (HPV) is a very hot topic as we go to press. James Rothenberger, a distinguished instructor in public health at the University of Minnesota, writes in his article, “The HPV/Condom Political Controversy Provides Opportunities for Education,” that by concentrating on the negatives of disease and trying to prevent sexual activity we are not helping our children to grow up to become citizens who are healthy and who can reach their full potential.

Megan Gottemoeller, program officer at the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), tells us in her article “Microbicides: Expanding the Options for STD Prevention” that if current momentum continues, “microbicides may soon offer an additional strategy for preventing STDs in the United States and around the world.”

Jo Valentine, a member of the Program Development and Support Branch of the Division of STD Prevention of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, writes in her article “The National Plan to Eliminate Syphilis: Cooperation, Collaboration, and Commitment” of the organization’s national call to action to make history of syphilis.

Silvia Teran, Cathleen Walsh and Kathleen Irwin of the Health Services Research and Evaluation Branch of the Division of STD Prevention at the CDC write in their article “Chlamydia Infection in Women: Bad News, Good News, and Next Steps in Prevention” that with recent advances in diagnosis, treatment, and screening strategies this sexually transmitted “quiet menace” may move from the headlines to the small print.

Mary Loftus, a freelance writer from Atlanta as well as a member of the inaugural class of the Knight Journalism Fellows at the CDC, has provided us with an update of the national Frontline television documentary titled The Lost Children of Rockdale County that investigated a cluster of teenage syphilis in suburban Atlanta several years ago. She found that the publicity has provided a series of well-intentioned but disjointed prevention efforts in the community itself.

Finally, sexuality educators Judith Steinhart of the Alice! health education program at Columbia University and Danene Sorace of the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers University tell us in “Sexuality Educators Talk About Their Career Paths” how a group of professionals chose this careers, were trained, and stayed motivated. It’s an interesting article for those thinking of becoming sexuality educators.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Stacy Weibley, SIECUS’ senior public policy associate writes in “Vaccines May Give Sexuality Education the Shot They Need” that vaccine development for STDs is proliferating as is made clear by the innovative work currently underway at the Dale and Better Bumpers Vaccine Research Center (VRC) located on the campus of the National Institutes of Health. She emphasizes that public health officials, advocates, and parents will have to revisit traditional STD-prevention and sexuality education messages in the light of this new work.

Finally, SIECUS Librarian Amy Levine and Library Assistant Darlene Torres have updated our Fact Sheet on “Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the United States.” It includes critical components of STD prevention and control as well as resources for additional information.

I hope you will use this SIECUS Report to update yourselves on emerging trends in STD prevention in the hope that we will eventually eliminate this significant health problem.