SJSCIENCE
SJSCIENCE – ISSUE 46, SUMMER 2020

Issue No 46. SUMMER 2020  

Correlation between STD-related social stigma and STD/STI screening among young adults in the United States

by

Larisa Benta, Sahrish Khan, Shahzaad Khan, Sally Madanat, & Romain Sewchand

Under the supervision of Dr. Victoria Minakova, PhD

The sexual revolution was finished some thirty years ago and in today’s society young people’s sexual behavior is more free than it used to be in times of their parents and grandparents. But it seems that some things related to free sexual behavior didn’t change much – e.g.: stigmas and shame associated with sexually transmitted diseases (STD). STD - related social stigma may be an important barrier to STD screening in adolescents and young adults. To what extent that stigma is actually associated with seeking care and how that stigma relates to the attitude toward STD screening at a routine health visit is not exactly known. Obtaining a clear understanding of the relationship between social stigma and attitude towards screening may help in developing a strategy for the prevention of many serious health problems related to the STD. We have to be ready for the future, because when we beat Corona, and remove lockdowns, our youngsters will switch from virtual reality behavior to the risks of the real word.