The STI Project

Breaking the Stigma

April is STD Awareness Month – STD Statistics

By Jenelle Marie Pierce, Executive Director

Last Updated on June 4, 2020 by Stacy Sampson, DO

STD StatisticsDon’t Risk It – Go Get STD Tested!

These STD statistics will make you want to go get STD tested!!!

They certainly lit a fire under my butt – I haven’t been tested in quite some time and I’d rather be safe than sorry. One STD is more than enough for me (my STD story) – two’s just an over-achievement.

I’m getting tested Monday – may sound funny, but I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be sure to report back in ‘What’s it like to get tested for STDS‘!  đź™‚

STI Stigma

STD Statistics for STD Awareness Month

  • 1 in 2 Americans will have contracted an STD by the time they reach the age of 25
  • 56-65 million people living in the US have an STD
  • There are at least 20 million new STD cases each year
  • 2/3 of all STD’s occur in people 25 yrs of age or younger
  • 1 in 4 new STD cases occur in teenagers
  • 1 in 5 Americans have genital herpes, 80% of people with herpes are unaware they have it
  • at least 1 in 4 Americans will contract an STD at some point in their lives
  • 15% of all infertile American women are infertile because of tubal damage caused by an untreated STD
  • 12% of all infertile American men are infertile because of inflammation of the testicles and sterility caused by an untreated STD

So, go!

Do it today, or tomorrow, or the next day!

Whatever you do – go get tested for STDs before you make plans to do anything else!!!

Hurry up – why are you still reading this post?  Go get STD tested!!!!

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References:

Did these STD statistics surprise you? Are you inspired to get tested? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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About Jenelle Marie Pierce, Executive Director

Jenelle Marie Pierce (she/her/hers) is the Executive Director of The STI Project: Breaking the Stigma® and its child sites; an Adjunct Professor; the Spokesperson for Positive Singles; and a Tri-Chair of the Communications Action Group at the National Coalition for Sexual Health (NCSH). As an STI+ Sexual Health Educator and content creator, Jenelle has been dismantling stigma by reclaiming STI narratives® through awareness, education, and acceptance since 2012. Current bylines can be found in O.School, SELF, HepatitisC.net, Kinkly, PornHub's Sexual Wellness Center, and Allure. For fun, Jenelle stays active as a group fitness instructor and also spends time camping, snow shoeing, hiking, skiing, kayaking, growing things, running through sprinklers, and building sand castles. Learn more about her here, or find her on social media: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Tumblr.

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Comments

  1. Anonymous

    I agree that being tested annually is in your best interest. I actually work for a STD lab company and let me tell you the fear is real.

    • Jenelle Marie

      Yes, definitely! It’s also advisable to get tested before and after each new partner – even if it has not been a year since the last test. This is where the free and low-cost testing can come in handy, so it doesn’t have to be a huge strain on someone’s budget to be safer and responsible as well.

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