What you think you know about STDs is probably wrong. For example, many people believe that the primary cause of STDs is promiscuity and that people who have more sexual partners are necessarily more likely to contract STDs than those with fewer partners. The truth, however, is that STD risk isn’t a simple function of number of partners.
For the latest episode of the Sex and Psychology Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Ina Park, an associate professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. She is author of the new book Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs.
We explore common myths and misconceptions about STDs. For instance, we discuss whether online dating apps are really responsible for the recent rise in STD cases. We also discuss how pubic hair grooming practices are linked to STD risk and how constantly shifting patterns of human sexual behavior are altering the course of STDs.
In addition, we discuss lots of things you probably didn’t know about STDs before, such as the fact that prospective contestants on the reality TV show The Bachelor are subjected to an STD panel before appearing on the show—and a positive test result for herpes is actually the single most common reason for disqualification. However, the test used has a high false positive rate—so is this a good idea or not?
Click here to listen to the full show. It is FASCINATING and I guarantee it will change the way you think about STDs!
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Photo: Ina Park