Do these statements sound familiar? They
are all untrue.
STDs and the South Asian Community
Community attitudes towards STDs can impact how an individual acknowledges
their risk of getting a STD. “There is a level of denial,
and people don’t like to think that this is a problem within
the community,” says Zerena Khan, a registered nurse at New
York City’s Women’s Health Center.
Currently, it is unclear to what extent STDs affect
the South Asian community. According to Shazia Naz Anam, founder
and chair of the South Asian Health Project, "While some research
has been conducted reporting attitudes of South Asians related to
sexual health, there is limited information on the number of people
affected.” A dangerous attitude that many South Asians possess,
however, is that STDs do not affect us. Shazia notes, “This
is such a hidden problem, that people have to deal with it alone.”
So How does this Affect Me?
STDs don’t only affect us individually; they can also affect
the health and well-being of members of our family. For example,
an often-overlooked fact is that some STDs, when left untreated,
can either lead to infertility or can be passed on to a fetus. Chlamydia
and gonorrhea are two such infections.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
chlamydia is one of the most widespread STIs in the United States,
and Asians and Pacific Islanders—a group that includes Desis—have
a higher rate of infection than other groups. In addition, while
gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infection in America,
Asian and Pacific Islander women had higher rates of gonorrhea than
Asian and Pacific Islander men in 2004.
Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are bacterial infections
that can be transmitted during oral, vaginal or anal sex. Symptoms
of chlamydia include abnormal vaginal discharge and a burning sensation
when urinating, though many women do not experience any symptoms
at all. For the few women that do experience them, they appear within
one to three weeks after being infected.
Initial symptoms and signs for gonorrhea in women
include a painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased
vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding between periods. However,
again, some women do not experience any symptoms at all. Fortunately,
both chlamydia and gonorrhea are treatable with antibiotics. However,
drug resistant strains of gonorrhea are on the rise around the world,
including Asian countries and the United States, thus making it
difficult to treat.
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| Talking to a
Partner about STD Testing
By Dr. Rachna Jain
When you're considering intercourse with a new partner, you
both should get tested for STDs ahead of time. This can be
a tricky subject to bring up. Here are some tips to make it
easier:
1) Have the talk outside the bedroom.
The best time to talk about getting tested is well before
you're in bed. When you know the relationship is progressing
to a more intimate level, that's the best time to bring up
the topic of getting tested for STDs.
2) Be direct but gentle.
You need to be direct about your wish that you both get tested.
You can bring this up in a gentle way. Try something like,
"I really want to make love with you. I would feel more
secure about it if we both got tested for STDs before doing
so. What are your thoughts about that?"
3) Schedule your blood tests together.
As strange as it may sound, setting up two appointments to
get tested (one for each of you) can actually help you feel
closer. Consider scheduling your individual medical appointments
within the same week, the closer together in time, the better.
This will help you move forward together rather than separately.
It's something you have committed to do,
together, for your physical health. It can also lessen the
discomfort or sense of embarrassment you might feel if you
went alone.
4) Hold steady. Hold firm
to your wish that you and your partner get tested for STDs
before intercourse. This can be challenging if one partner
completely discounts the need or necessity for STD testing.
In this case, intercourse should be postponed until both parties
have agreed to get tested.
5) You need to talk about this.
You can't avoid it because it might be uncomfortable. If you
can't talk to your partner about uncomfortable topics, your
relationship needs some work, outside of the bedroom. |
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