{"id":7287,"date":"2020-10-20T13:00:05","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T17:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.internationalstudentinsurance.com\/blog\/?p=7287"},"modified":"2021-04-09T17:20:29","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T21:20:29","slug":"stds-resources-and-health-considerations-for-international-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.internationalstudentinsurance.com\/blog\/2020\/10\/stds-resources-and-health-considerations-for-international-students.html","title":{"rendered":"STD\u2019s: Resources and Health Considerations for International Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The last thing you heard about growing up in a catholic household in South America, if you heard about it at all, were topics like sex or sexually transmitted diseases (STD). I remember the first and only time I heard about sex education in Colombia was one day in 4th grade at my catholic school. They\u2019ve invited a few experts and had us watch a short documentary on why abstinence was the only way to avoid STD\u2019s. Up to that point, no one addressed what sex or STDs were, only that they were bad for your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the US, these topics are addressed more frequently and more openly. For a person that comes from a very conservative household, it was a bit of a cultural shock to hear people talk about sex and sexually transmitted diseases in such a manner. Those subjects remain tabooed in many parts of my home country to this date. However, it is important to be knowledgeable about these subjects as an international student wherever you go so you can protect yourself and stay safe during your international experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let\u2019s start with defining what a sexually transmitted disease (or infection)<\/em> is:<\/strong>
An STD (sexually transmitted disease) or STI (sexually transmitted infection) are diseases or infections that can only be spread through infected body fluids or skin. As their name states, generally they are contracted when someone has sex.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And why is this important?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to a report from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC)<\/strong><\/a>, there were over 2.4 million combined cases of STDs in 2018 in the US. Women between the ages of 15 to 24 years old account for 44% of reported cases of Chlamydia, men accounted for 86% of reported cases of Syphilis, and Gonorrhea diagnoses have almost doubled among gay and bisexual men in the past five years.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sex Education<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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A study done in 2014 by the University of Cincinnati<\/strong><\/a> examined Asian college students\u2019 overall knowledge of sex and STD\u2019s. The results indicated that overall knowledge of these subjects in male students was very low. The study also found that students who had lived in the US for at least 3 years held significantly higher knowledge of these subjects than their counterparts. As you can see, part of your international experience is likely to expose you to more effective sex education when it comes to preventative action.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protecting yourself from an STD or an STI is the best way to ensure you don\u2019t have a bad experience in a foreign country. Here are some tips to help you stay safe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n