Health

Sexual Health

Updated: 2025-09-01 6:10 PM CDST

All links below worked as of 2025s-09-1
Report any linkrot to me ASAP
epkardas@saumag.edu

Covid-19
- Current Status
  - Symptoms (there is a wide range)
    - Fever and chills
    - Cough
    - Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
    - Fatigue
    - Muscle or body aches
    - Headache
    - Loss of taste or smell
    - Sore throat
    - Runny nose or congestion
    - Nausea or vomiting
    - Diarrhea
    - Would anyone like to comment on their Covid infection or others they have witnessed?
  - Action
    - Report to SAU Health Office in Reynolds Hall
    - 870 235 5254
    - They will tell you what to do next
Sexual Violence
- SAU will present similar information to all seminars later in the semester. To me, that is too late.
- Changing Times and Mores
  - Boys
    - In the past, more likely to spend time outside of the house
    - Today, "scheduled" time: sports, music, and other activities
  - Girls
    - In the past, more likely to spend time at home
    - Today, also more "scheduled" time
  - Personal
    - In my family we allowed the two boys to walk to Middle School (0.8 miles)
    - We never allowed our daughter to walk to Middle School
  - Technology
    - The Internet and smartphones have changed the world markedly
      - Pornography
      - Sexting
      - Lowered teen dating and pregnancy
  - Reflect
    - Were your parents worried about you when outside the home?
    - Did they restrict your activities? How?
- Relationship violence training at SAU:
  - SAU usually schedules sessions on relationship violence for all seminar sections. I'll let you know when those will be for us.
  - Inspired by the murders of Julie Hartsfield, Dana Hill, and Autumn Hartsfield.
- Common
  - Usually victim and assailant know each other (date rape)
  - Underreported
  - Crime of violence
  - Often caused by mutual misunderstanding
- Consent
  - Part of communication
  - "No" means no
  - Nafisa Ahmed on consent
    - $5
  - Laci Green on consent (YouTube)
  - Blackouts (scroll down to video)
    - Jose Cuervo (Shelly West)
      - Country music song on blackouts
  - Illicit video recording (against the law in Arkansas)
    - Do you want to be shown on social media while drunk?
- Prevention for women
  - High positive correlation with drinking
  - Set limits early
  - Use the buddy system
  - Make your intentions known early
  - Make a scene
  - Learn self defense
- Prevention for men
  - Change mindset (these recommendations are absurd or extremely tongue-in-cheek, but that is the point)
  - See Clark & Hatfield (1989), Gender differences in receptivity to sexual offers.
    - Research confederate students asked fellow students of the opposite sex they did not know the following questions:
      - Would you go out tonight?
      - Would you come over to my apartment?
      - Would you go to bed with me?
    - "The great majority of men were willing to have a sexual liaison with the women who approached them."
    - "Not one woman agreed to a sexual liaison."
  - Message? Men and women think differently
  - It's on Us
    - Long report on
    - Their conclusion (in part and reformatted):
      - "Finally, building relationships between male-and-non-male-identifying students is key
        to preventing objectification.
      - Men with strong ties to women and other non-male-identifying
        people in their life felt more responsibility toward others and anger at other men who
        perpetrate violence.
      - Ensuring that men, women, and gender nonconforming students are fully
        integrated on campus helps ensure that non-male identifying students are seen as more than
        objects.
      - A key way to implement this would be to encourage co-ed clubs, such as intramural
        sports, and decrease the number of single-sex activities on campus."
Title IX
- History (Department of Justice)--scroll down to see graphs
  - Number of men and women earning bachelor's degrees
  - Male and female participation in high school athletics
- SAU and Title IX scroll down to video
  - Cornell University: "Intervene" Bystander Campaign (19:47)
    - See something/Say something!
- SAU Complaint Form
  - Hopefully, you will not need to ever file one, but here it is.
- Supreme Court and Title IX (August 2024)
  - "The Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision denied the Biden administration’s emergency request to partially reinstate its new Title IX rule.
  - The sweeping changes to Title IX, which protects against sex discrimination in schools, cover sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time.
  - Various Republican state attorneys general have persuaded judges to block implementation in roughly half the country."
- Trump Administration Changes to Title IX
- AAUP on Title IX Abuse
- Title IX covers:
  - Harassment (sexual or gender based)
  - Sexual assault
  - Rape (including date rape)
  - Sexual exploitation
  - Intimate partner violence (including dating violence)
  - Stalking
  - Retaliation
- SAU in 2018-2019
  - 18 incidents
  - Sexual Assault: 2 (1 was rape)
  - Sexual Harassment
    - Faculty to Student: 2
    - Student to Student: 6
  - Retaliation: 1
  - Stalking: 1
  - Voyeurism: 1
  - Intimate Partner Violence: 1
- SAU in 2020-2021
  - 9 reports
  - Sexual Assault/Rape: 2
  - Sexual Harrassment
    - 4 (not specified)
  - Stalking: 2
  - Physical Violence: 1 (not in a dating relationship)
- SAU in 2021-2022
  - Title IX received 8 reports:
    - 3 sexual harassment (student to student referred to conduct office)
    - 2- stalking (did not meet the definition of stalking)
    - 1- physical violence (not IPV so handled through the conduct office)
    - 2 sexual assault (rape).

CONTRACEPTION AND STERILIZATION

Erotophobia, Erotophilia and Contraception
- Five steps of contraceptive use
  - acquire accurate knowledge
  - acknowledge likelihood of engaging in intercourse
  - obtain the contraceptive
  - communicate with partner about contraception
  - use method of contraception
- Erotophobics (definition)
  - do not discuss sex
  - high levels of guilt
  - fear of sex disapproval
  - infrequent intercourse
  - few partners
  - not likely to use contraception
- Erotophilics (definition)
  - discuss sex
  - little guilt about sex
  - more frequent intercourse
  - more partners
  - aroused by erotic films
  - likely to use contraception
Success Rates of Contraception
- Lowest observed failure rate (theoretical rate)
  - this the rate typically reported in controlled studies of the method
- Failure rate for typical users (actual rate)
  - this is the rate reported 'in the field' (i.e., forgetting to take pill)
Methods
- Birth control pills
  - prevent ovulation by causing high levels of estrogen
  - progestin also used to make thicker cervical mucus, discourage implantation
  - failure rates from .1 to 3%
    - FYI, our daughter in law is expecting her second child in January 2024 even though she was on BC pills
  - side effects similar to pregnancy
  - several types of pill
    - combination pill (estrogen and progestin)
    - biphasic (estrogen and two levels of progestin)
    - progestin only (mini pills)
  - side effects
    - blood clotting
    - higher blood pressure
    - vaginitis, gonorrhea
    - nausea
    - weight gain
    - water retention
    - no evidence of cancer causation
- Norplant (picture)
  - implanted in skin
  - lasts up to six years
  - most effective method of all (0.09% actual)
- Depo-Provera (picture)
  - progestin injections
  - last up to 90 days
  - amenorrhea
  - 6-12 months for full reversibility
- IUDs (picture)
  - Now recommended for nulliparous women (women who have never had a baby)
  - device inserted into uterus
  - unknown method of contraceptive action
  - T-shaped IUDs are only type still available in US
  - Dalkon shield case
  - effective method (1.5 -5% failure rate)
  - side effects
    - PIDs
    - increased menstrual cramps
    - pain on insertion
  - History of IUDs
- Diaphragm (picture of one and of sponge)
  - individually fitted rubber dome
  - used with spermicide
  - mechanical action
  - effectiveness depends of user (2-18% failure rate)
  - few side effects
  - loss of spontaneity
  - moderate cost
  - reversible method
- Cervical Cap (picture)
  - similar to diaphragm in action
  - used with spermicide
  - higher failure rate for multiparous women (36%)
- Contraceptive Sponge (picture)
  - similar to diaphragm and cervical cap
  - includes spermicide
  - worn for up to 12 hours
  - toxic shock syndrome possible if not removed
    - toxic shock definition
- Condom
  - Male (picture)
    - only reversible male method
    - method that reduces chances of AIDS infection
    - failure rate 2-10%, better with spermicide
  - Female (picture)
    - newer device
    - reduces chances if AIDS infection
    - relatively high failure rate (21%)
- Spermicides
  - not for use as primary method (25% failure rate)
- Douching
  - not a contraceptive method
  - Coca-Cola???
- Withdrawal
  - also not an effective contraceptive method (19%)
  - only last minute (second?) method
- Rhythm (fertility awareness) (picture)
  - Catholics: only permissible method for American Catholics
  - kits available but used also for fertility enhancement (for couples seeking to become pregnant)
Sterilization
- In Arkansas, sterilizations are on the rise
- Male
  - Vasectomy (picture)
    - Vasectomies are relatively cheap
    - Vasectomy reversals are not
- Female
  - Minilaparotomy (picture)
  - Laparoscopy (picture)
Abortion
- Controversial topic, Roe v. Wade repealed in 2022
- News:
  - During pandemic the FDA allowed physicians to mail abortion pills (mifepristone) to patients
  - Now laws are changing about chemical abortion
  - Tracking abortion bans across the USA
- Methods
  - Vacuum aspiration
  - Dilation and evacuation
  - Induced labor
  - Hysterotomy
- Psychological Aspects
  - most women have positive outcomes
New Methods of Contraception
- RU-486 or methotrexate and mifepristone (article)
  - 'morning after' pill
  - not really contraception
  - controversy over use in US
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDs)
Chlamydia (NGU) (CDC Fact Sheet)
- Bacterium--Chlamydia trachomatis is the cause, many cases (4 million/year)
- Symptoms
  - clear discharge, mild discomfort on urination
  - can be asymptomatic
- Treatment
  - does not respond to penicillin
  - azithromycin or doxycycline used
  - failure to treat can lead to complications including pelvic inflammatory disease
HPV (human papilloma virus, genital warts) CDC Fact Sheet
- around 3 million new cases/year
- Diagnosis
  - warts near urethra, on penis, or vulva
  - appearance is diagnostic
- Treatment
  - podophyllum or tricholoroacetic acid
  - liquid nitrogen
  - laser therapy
  - all need to be repeated, virus remains in body
  - interferon
  - Gardasil 9
    - Should I Get HPV Vaccine?
Genital Herpes (CDC Fact Sheet)
- virus--Herpes simplex II (Herpes simplex I usually non-genital, but oral sex...)
- Symptoms
  - painful bumps or blisters
  - last a few weeks, then dormant
  - four recurrences/year is average
  - stress can cause recurrence
  - fatal for infants
- Treatment
  - none
  - acyclovir eases pain and shrinks sores
  - pain and sores milder after time
HIV Infection and AIDS
- First cases in 1981 in San Francisco Gay community
- AIDS virus identified in 1984 by Gallo and/or Montagnier
- HIV-1--most cases, HIV-2--found mostly in Africa
- An Epidemic?
  - AIDS Fact Sheet
  - But, as a disease, fragile virus, transmitted under special conditions
- Transmission
  - AIDS is transmitted via:
    - sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal)
    - contaminated blood
    - contaminated needles
    - to infant during childbirth
  - Risks are greatest:
    - in anal intercourse
    - with more partners
    - with risky partner (HIV positive, IV drug user, hemophiliac)
    - for heterosexual females
- The Disease
  - HIV infection stages
    - initial infection--no symptoms, antibodies within 2 to 8 weeks
    - asymptomatic carrier--7 to 9 years
    - lymphdenopathy--swollen lympth nodes, night sweating, fever, loss of weight, diarrhea, fatigue
    - AIDS--infected by life-threatening opportunistic infections, T4 cell count drops
- Diagnosis
  - HIV Diagnosis (Mayo Clinic)
    - "HIV is most commonly diagnosed by testing your blood or saliva for the presence of antibodies to the virus."
- Treatment
  - HIV genetic resistance?
    - A very small minority have a mutation that prevents HIV infection. They lack the CCR-5 gene.
  - AIDS Vaccine News
  - Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), thanks to John-Haydin McElyea
    - What is PEP?
    - CDC on PEP
Gonorrhea (the Clap, the Drip) (CDC Fact Sheet)
- Oldest of STDs, usually occurs from vaginal intercourse
- Symptoms
  - bacterial inflammation of urethra
  - clear discharge at first
  - changes to purulent discharge
  - burning sensation on urination
  - females can be asymptomatic and, if untreated, can lead to complications
- Diagnosis
  - make a bacterial culture
- Treatment
  - treat with penicillin or tetracycline
  - resistant strains require ceftriaxone
- Eddie Murphy on VD 5 minutes (language warning, do not open if you are offended by dirty language)
Syphilis (CDC Fact Sheet)
- Since 1400s, could be West to East migrant, caused by Treponema pallidum
- Symptoms
  - chancre--primary stage
  - body rash--variable, painless--secondary stage
  - no symptoms--latent stage
  - cardiovascular or neural symptoms--tertiary stage (10-40 years after infection)
- Diagnosis
  - blood tests (VDRL)
- Treatment
  - large doses on long-acting antibiotics, especially penicillin
Viral Hepatitis (CDC Index)
- liver disease
- five types: A, B, C, D, E (A, B, and C are most common)
- type B transmitted via sexual means
  - blood, semen, other bodily fluids
- vaccine for type B
Pubic Lice (crabs) (picture)
- lice (e.g., the true meaning of "lousy")
- transmitted via sexual or other contact
- use special shampoos
- nits? They are the eggs of lice. Hard to remove, thus the word "nitpicking"
Other Infections
- Vaginitis (Mayo Clinic)
  - Monilia--yeast infection
  - Trichomoniasis--STD
  - Nonspecific Vaginitis
  - Cystitis--E. coli
  - Prostatitis--E. coli
- Prevention
  - wash and dry vulva
  - do not use feminine products
  - wear cotton underwear
  - wear loose clothing
  - reduce sugar and carbohydrates in diet
  - wipe from front to back
  - douche with vinegar
Whew! Now you know. Be safe!
Knowledge is power!

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