Understanding Personal Risk for Contracting an STI

Remaining healthy in our intimate relationships is important to our personal health and the health of those around us. In the United States, however, 20% of people live with a sexually transmitted infection. Some of the factors that affect one’s risk of an STI include locality, lifestyle choices, identity, and sexuality.

Different regions in the United States carry different risk levels, as do larger metropolitan cities versus rural neighborhoods. One’s daily choices can also determine infection, such as having unprotected sex, having multiple partners, using dating apps, using improper protection, and even substance abuse. Studies have revealed that both heavy alcohol and cocaine use have been positively linked to risky sexual behaviors and subsequent STI diagnoses. Personal attributes like ethnicity, income, age, education level, gender, and religious upbringing can also increase or decrease one’s chance of infection. Similarly, sexuality is a factor, as different types of sex and different relationship dynamics each have their determined risk level compared to one another.

Lowering one’s risk for STIs can be simple, especially when testing, protection, and vaccines are widely available. Although abstinence is 100% effective for preventing infection, one can remain sexually active and still be safe so long as they commit to understanding their personal risk factors and how to combat them.