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Welcome
April is Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Month. STDs, sometimes called sexually transmitted infections (STI), are incredibly common worldwide. STDs remain a significant public health concern due to their prevalence. Without proper treatment, many STDs can lead to health complications such as loss of fertility, transmission from mother to baby, certain cancers, and even death.
The World Health Organization reports that more than 1 million sexually transmitted infections are acquired every day. In Canada, STD rates are on the rise. Diagnosis of gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia have been increasing for over a decade, particularly among people under 30 years old. In 2020, an estimated 1,520 Canadians contracted HIV, a viral STD. HIV prevalence is also increasing among people who use injectable drugs.
While many STDs are easily detected and treated, social stigmas may make patients and healthcare providers reluctant to discuss them. Many patients have not received extensive sexual health education and do not understand their risk of contracting an STD. They may be concerned about confidentiality or being judged for their sexual activity if they seek treatment. Providers may lack proper context about their patients’ lifestyles, risk factors, and understanding of sexual health, leading them to refrain from engaging in important conversations about sexual health.
Experts suggest that healthcare providers should take a proactive approach to de-stigmatizing STDs. Initiating discussions about STDs can help patients understand their risks and access appropriate testing and treatment. It also allows providers to present science-based safe sex information.
A 2021 study suggests taking a culturally sensitive approach to conversations about STDs in the healthcare setting. Providers should aim to have conversations that are person-centered, sex-positive, and trauma-informed.
Providers play a key role in increasing inclusivity and reducing the stigma surrounding STDs. By implementing a person-centered, sex-positive, and trauma-informed approach to conversations around STDS, providers are able to give better sexual health services and influence people to take control of their sexual health.
Understanding the social stigmas around STDs, staying informed about sexual health trends, and knowing the best practices for approaching conversations on sexual health is critical to providing excellent care. To learn more about sexual health and other health topics, explore our many related courses and join the MDBriefCase community to stay current on guidelines.
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Thank you for your interest in writing an article for the MDBriefCase Healthcare Leadership Lab website.
The Healthcare Leadership Lab welcomes submissions on all topics relevant to leaders in healthcare. Our topics include Leading in Healthcare, Leadership Lessons from COVID-19 and others. We prioritize stories that provide leadership advice to executives and managers in healthcare companies, offer actionable strategies for executing successful projects, and provide interesting angles on current healthcare topics. Submissions must be original work of the authors and unpublished. When submitting, authors represent that they have included no material that is in violation of the rights of any other person or entity.
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Guest articles for the MDBriefCase Healthcare Leadership Lab may run between 500 and 1000 words.
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