Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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United Press International - September 28, 2000
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a survey of 3,500 patients at sexually transmitted disease clinics found many misconceptions about the ailments.
"More than 38 percent of the patients interviewed believed that urinating after sex protected them from contracting a sexually transmitted disease," said Dr. Helene Gayle, director of the CDC's division of HIV prevention.
"Almost 20 percent said the use of oral contraceptives was a way of protecting themselves from disease," Gayle said.
Researchers said more than 45 percent thought douching helped protect them. More than 16 percent thought that washing their genitals after sex would protect them sexually transmitted disease.
"There still is a substantial portion of people who don't understand the risks that are linked to transmission and acquisition of a sexually transmitted disease," Gayle said.
She said health officials estimate that there are about 15 million new infections with sexually transmitted diseases every year, with treatment costs estimated at $10 billion a year.
The CDC researchers said counseling can help reduce the mistaken beliefs. People were less likely to have the misconceptions if they had been diagnosed as having a sexually transmitted disease. Blacks and people older than 24 were more likely to have the misconceptions, the researchers said.
The findings were published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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