Factors and Behaviors Associated with HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Disease

Overview:  There are many risk factors and behaviors that are associated with HIV and other STD infections.  For example, anal sex is a high risk-factor associated with HIV infection.  Once identified, these risk factors are often targets of prevention programs.

Objectives:  To make you aware of risk factors associated with HIV and other STD infections and to make you examine risk factors associated with you or others in your life.

Outcomes:  Promote client knowledge, skills and attitudes consistent with the maintenance of health and the prevention of HIV/AIDS, TB, STDs, and other communicable diseases.

Readings: 

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/msm/challenges.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/msm/protection.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/msm/resources/factsheets/msm.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/qa/downlow.htm

Safer Sex Articles

http://www.ehow.com/how_16296_have-safe-sex.html?ref=fuel

http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/tc/safe-sex-topic-overview

http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/001949.htm

http://aids.about.com/od/tipsforsafersex/Tips_for_Safer_Sex.htm

Safer Sex Activities to Reduce HIV and STDs

Condom Usage Tips and information for everyone

Oral sex

Plastic Wrap for Oral Sex

Tasks: 

Read the materials provided from the listed websites under the readings section and review the materials in Topic 4.  Then complete the following exercises.

1.         There are a variety of risk factors associated with STDs and HIV.  These are associated with various types of sexual behavior.  On the hyperlink below is a sheet of sexual behaviors individuals engage in.  Identify these behaviors.  You may need to use a variety of resources to determine what each behavior is.  Then, identify if the behavior has high risk, low risk, or no risk for transmission of HIV or other STDs.  Upon completion, on the following spreadsheet, identify if the behavior has high, low, or no risk for a person to receive HIV or other STDs. When done, write a brief paper describing your reactions to the types of sexual behaviors and their risk for HIV/STDs and send it to your instructor.

Sexual Behaviors Sheet  in Microsoft Word Format                Sexual Behaviors Sheet in Microsoft Excel Format

2.         Upon completion, examine the materials in the "Safer Sex section.  Then complete the HIV/STD self-awareness exercise and examine the behaviors in the previous list.  Which of these behaviors have you participated in (if any)?  Then, determine if you are at high, low, or no risk for HIV or other STDs by taking the Sexual Risk Questionnaire. If you are at risk, think about what can you do to reduce your risk?

Self Awareness Exercise

Sexual Risk Questionnaire

3.         Considering the issue of risk, what is your opinion of "Barebacking?" Should anyone be doing this behavior? What do you think of people that are doing this behavior? After you have thought about this, write a brief paper describing your reactions and send it to your instructor. Share your thoughts about these issues with your classmates in the Blackboard discussion. If you do not know what Barebacking is, use Yahoo or Google and type Barebacking in the Search Category.

4.         Identify and watch your movies after this section and send your papers to your instructor.  Generally, write  
about 1-2 pages for each movie.  A list of some movies can be found by clicking on the movie hyperlink.  If you find others that are appropriate, let your instructor know so they can be added to the list.  

Movies

 

Resources.

A website you can use to get some information if you get stuck is:  http://www.sexhealth.org/infocenter/

This website also has a good section on STDs.

You can also get additional information at the CDC website.

http://www.cdc.gov

Discussion for Topic 5.