SEXUAL HEALTH STATUS
Students’ Relationship and Sexual Health Status, Sexual Knowledge, Attitudes,
Behavior and Responses to STD Disclosure
Approximately 25 years after HIV and AIDS were first discovered and identified, 40
million individuals worldwide are living with HIV. Of those afflicted, roughly 70% of those
individuals are Africans (World Health Organization [WHO], 2002). In the United States,
774,467 cases of AIDS were reported between the years of 1981 and 2000, of which the majority
of cases were men. More than half of these individuals have since died (Centers for Disease
Control [CDC], 2002).
Since HIV and AIDS have come into our consciousness, much social, political, and
relational focus has been on homosexual men, men having sex with men (MSM), and
intravenous (IV) drug users (CDC, 2002). Incidence over the last 15 years, however,
demonstrates a decrease in AIDS among men having sex with men and a plataeauing of cases
among IV drug users. A noticeable increase, however, exists for individuals diagnosed with HIV
and AIDS due to heterosexual contact. According to the CDC (2002), in 2000 the individuals
diagnosed with AIDS due to heterosexual contact and IV drug use were the same (i.e., 27%).
More specific to young, adult populations, HIV and AIDS are increasing among
heterosexuals (Name Withheld, 2005). The CDC (2003) emphasized the need to focus in
particular on young women, as infection is growing for the 13-24 age group. Many of the women
in this age group were unaware of their partners’ risk factors and, when history was traced, over
half of the women for who risk was originally unidentified were later reclassified as heterosexual
transmission (CDC).
In addition to HIV and AIDS, young adults are also at risk for other sexually transmitted
diseases (Name Withheld, 2005). For example, sexually active young adults who do not practice
safer sex are at greater risk for herpes, chlamydia, human papilloma virus (HPV), gonorrhea,
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