The state of New York had 108,365 new cases of basic, non-HIV STDs in 2009, and a disproportionate amount of these cases originated in New York City. Additionally, studies indicate that 26 percent of the adults in New York City have genital herpes, and this is 7 percent higher than the national average. The disparity between urban and rural areas is consistent throughout the nation. Therefore, although you need to be extremely careful if you are living a single lifestyle with multiple partners anywhere in the country, you should pay even closer attention in major cities.
Avoiding STDs
There are several important and basic ways that you can avoid contracting an STD. For example, you should always use condoms unless both you and your partner have tested clean. If you are not in a serious relationship with someone, you should never take the risk of trusting another person to be honest with you about their sexual history and their health. In other words, if one of your partners is unwilling to use the proper protection, you should not be sexually active with them.
Another way that you can cut down on the risk of exposure is to avoid having a large quantity of sexual partners. After all, even if you are enjoying the single life, it is more important to ensure that you protect your health. Keep in mind that more than 3,400 people were diagnosed with HIV in New York City in 2011, and this represents approximately 7 percent of all of the new cases that occurred nationwide. Each year, HIV is diagnosed in people of all gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation, so do not let yourself be lulled into a false sense of security.
STD Screening
Because it is possible to have an STD without knowing it, you should get an STD screening done on a regular basis. Even if you have not been sexually active for a while, it is still a good idea to get a discreet screening done just to make sure that you are not infected.
The large number of STDs reported each year is not pleasant to think about, but having this knowledge can help keep you safe. After all, now that you are aware of how common they actually are, especially in major cities, you will be more likely to take the proper steps to avoid becoming a statistic.
Busy author, artist, and single, urban mom, Molly Pearce writes to raise awareness of the importance of regular STD testing. The ideal health testing center employs certified and knowledgeable technicians and state-of-the-art labs to deliver accurate and timely results. An ideal resource for locating such sites is healthtestingcenters.com. They offer discreet screening for all of the common STDs at over 1400 nationwide locations.