Men are less likely than women to admit to having an STD
08 March 2002
Men are far less likely than women to tell their partner they have a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and adolescent males are the worst offenders, French research shows.
Women were 7 times more likely than men to admit infection, with 14 per cent of men who had an STD in the past 5 years compared with only 2 per cent of women reporting they had not informed their main sexual partner.
This sex difference was independent of the nature of the STD, patient age, education level and number of partners.
Among adolescents who had ever reported an STD, 51 per cent of boys compared with only 9 per cent of girls, said they had not talked about the infection with their current sexual partner.
But overall, regardless of gender, most (73 per cent of adults and 86 per cent of adolescents) had not informed partners other than their main or current partner.
Notification by a sexual partner led to discovery of the STD more often in males than females (32 per cent of men compared with 4 per cent of women, 36 per cent of boys compared with 12 per cent of girls). But symptom presence was the most frequent reason for diagnosis in adolescents and adult males and was almost as frequent as consultation for another reason in females.
Researchers wrote in Sexually Transmitted Infections (2002; 78: 45-49) that results were worrying because they probably underestimated the true situation.
Findings were from 3 population-based surveys of nearly 13,000 people including 222 who reported STDS, most of whom were diagnosed in private practice rather than STD clinics.
Last Reviewed: 13 March 2002
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 08/03/02
