77% of relationships in Brazil are unprotected; The importance of monitoring sexually transmitted diseases

Do you have any idea how many sexual encounters there are each day?

On average, adults aged 18 to 29 have 112 sexual intercourses per year (2.2 per week). For those aged 30 to 39, that number drops to 86 times a year (1.7 per week). Between the ages of 40 and 49, there are 69 episodes per year (1.3 per week).

Half of the youth (18-24 years old) have had their last sexual practice with an occasional (unstable) partner. Among couples, 50% of men and 26% of women have extramarital affairs. These data are part of the most recent Kinsey Institute report conducted in 2010.

A more recent 2019 study on sexual behavior and condom use in the Brazilian population found that the majority (59%) never used condoms and only 23% of the population always used condoms. Conservatively, if we consider that one person has 52 sexual intercourses per year (1/week), and that 75% of the population (among individuals aged 15+) lead an active sex life, we conclude that there are more than 410 million. sexual intercourse sexual day. I think this number should be higher on Saturdays and lower on Mondays.

From this perspective, it is easy to understand the importance of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), formerly called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The change in nomenclature was due to the fact that some infections do not cause symptoms but can still be transmitted.

STIs represent a global public health problem affecting countries from all socioeconomic contexts. Main representatives: Neisseria gonorrhea, responsible for urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, among others; This chlamydia infectionsalso cause urethritis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease; HPV responsible for cervical cancer; syphilis and viral hepatitis (A, B and C); and also HIV. These diseases are difficult to control because of the high incidence of asymptomatic infections or the long incubation period between infection and the onset of symptoms.

The ability to spread an STI depends on the number of sexual encounters by the infected person and the probability of transmission during intercourse between an infected person and a susceptible person.

Each of these variables has different weights according to the type of STI. For example, in the case of gonorrhea, if one of the people is infected, the probability of transmission during sexual intercourse is more than 50%. However, in most cases there is no recognition of the infection by the person who has it. Since its prevalence is around 1.85% (may be higher or lower depending on location and age group). While it may seem small, the trend is growing and varies by country, age group and individual profile. Taking these average figures into account, a person has a 10% risk of contracting gonococcal disease after 11 unprotected sexual intercourses with different partners. There will be a new infection in one out of every 108 sexual intercourses practiced in the world. Remember the 410 million relationships that occur daily? Yes, there are more than 3.5 million new cases of gonococcal disease every day.

This risk can be reduced with condom use, but a recent Brazilian study shows that 77% of sexual intercourses are unprotected. The route of exposure – vaginal, rectal or oral – also influences this possibility. Young individuals are known to have more relationships than the average and are naturally more vulnerable.

Each of the STIs has different forms of prevention, including vaccines (in the case of HPV and hepatitis A and B), condoms and drugs (PrEP – Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV). In any case, there is one strategy that works for everyone: monitoring. In this way, the diagnosis of infected individuals, including those who are asymptomatic, is sought by tests. Proper treatment leads to recovery, prevents complications and, above all, reduces contamination.

It is very difficult to intervene in the transmission dynamics of sexually transmitted diseases because gender is closely related to individual freedoms and individual risk perception or management. However, diagnosis, treatment and treatment reduce the number of sexually transmitted individuals. Screening is the basis of the pyramid and is specified in health protocols, but there is no consistent alignment in practice. Answer these questions: Do you have an active sex life? If yes, when was the last time you were tested for HIV, viral hepatitis, syphilis, and other sexually transmitted infections?

infection by Neisseria gonorrhea It is asymptomatic in 5% of men and 30% to 80% of women. Because they have no symptoms, these people are most responsible for transmission. In women who usually do not show signs of infection, 40% of untreated cases develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which carries a risk of infectious complications, infertility and chronic pain.

Tests made maintenance point (POC) are columns in this perspective. It is possible to make significant progress in combating STIs through a decentralized testing model under laboratory management with real-time epidemiological surveillance and an integrated system for reporting results. There is already successful experience with HIV, but if this is seen as a health policy, it can be further developed and expanded to cover other diseases.

Do you have any idea how many sexual intercourses are experienced each day? Adults aged 18 to 29 have sexual intercourse on average 112 times a year (2.2 per week), while between the ages of 30 and 39 this number drops to 86 times a year (1.7). /week). Between the ages of 40 and 49, there are 69 episodes per year (1.3 per week). Half of the youth (18-24 years old) have had their last sexual practice with an occasional (unstable) partner. Among couples, 50% of men and 26% of women have extramarital affairs. These data are part of the Kinsey Institute’s most recent report, conducted in 2010. A more recent 2019 study on sexual behavior and condom use in the Brazilian population found that the majority (59%) never use it, and only 23% of the population always use condoms. Conservatively, if we consider that one person has 52 sexual intercourses per year (1/week), and that 75% of the population (among individuals aged 15+) lead an active sex life, we conclude that there are more than 410 million. sexual intercourse per day I think this number should be higher on Saturdays and lower on Mondays.