Question

Sexual Disorders

Objective

Discuss sexual dysfunctions and sexually transmitted diseases

Assignment Overview

This web research assignment allows you to explore current information on sexual issues.

Deliverables

A one-page (12-point font) report

Step 1 Research articles and websites.

Conduct an Internet search for articles and websites that provide current information about sexual dysfunctions and sexually transmitted diseases.

Step 2 Report your findings.

Address the following points in your report based on the research you conducted in Step 1:

• List major points in the article.
• List websites where the information is found.
• Include statistics and data found.

Answer 1

• More than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day worldwide (1, 2).
• Each year, there are an estimated 376 million new infections with 1 of 4 STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomoniasis (1, 2).
• More than 500 million people are estimated to have genital infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) (3).
• More than 290 million women have a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (4).
• The majority of STIs have no symptoms or only mild symptoms that may not be recognized as an STI.
• STIs such as HSV type 2 and syphilis can increase the risk of HIV acquisition.
• 988 000 pregnant women were infected with syphilis in 2016, resulting in over 350 000 adverse birth outcomes including 200 000 stillbirths and newborn deaths (5).
• In some cases, STIs can have serious reproductive health consequences beyond the immediate impact of the infection itself (e.g., infertility or mother-to-child transmission)
• The Gonococcal Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Programme has shown high rates of quinolone resistance, increasing azithromycin resistance and emerging resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Drug resistance, especially for gonorrhoea, is a major threat to reducing the impact of STIs worldwide.

More than 30 different bacteria, viruses and parasites are known to be transmitted through sexual contact. Eight of these pathogens are linked to the greatest incidence of sexually transmitted disease. Of these 8 infections, 4 are currently curable: syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. The other 4 are viral infections which are incurable: hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus (HSV or herpes), HIV, and human papillomavirus (HPV). Symptoms or disease due to the incurable viral infections can be reduced or modified through treatment.

STIs are spread predominantly by sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. Some STIs can also be spread through non-sexual means such as via blood or blood products. Many STIs—including syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, and HPV—can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy and childbirth.

A person can have an STI without having obvious symptoms of disease. Common symptoms of STIs include vaginal discharge, urethral discharge or burning in men, genital ulcers, and abdominal pain.

Sexual dysfunctions are characterized by disturbances in sexual desire and in the psychophysiological changes associated with the sexual response cycle in men and women. Despite increasing demand for clinical services and the potential impact of these disorders on interpersonal relationships and quality of life, epidemiologic data are relatively scant. Based on the few available community studies, it appears that sexual dysfunctions are highly prevalent in both sexes, ranging from 10% to 52% of men and 25% to 63% of women. Data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) showed that 34.8% of men aged 40 to 70 years had moderate to complete erectile dysfunction, which was strongly related to age, health status, and emotional function. Erectile dysfunction has been described as an important public health problem by a National Institutes of Health Consensus Panel, which identified an urgent need for population-based data concerning the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of this disorder. Even less is known about the epidemiology of female sexual dysfunction.

Professional and public interest in sexual dysfunction has recently been sparked by developments in several areas. First, major advances have occurred in our understanding of the neurovascular mechanisms of sexual response in men and women. Several new classes of drugs have been identified that offer significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of male erectile disorder,while other agents have been proposed for sexual desire and orgasm disorders.Availability of these drugs could increase dramatically the number of patients seeking professional help for these problems. Epidemiologic data would be of obvious value in developing appropriate service delivery and resource allocation models. Additionally, changing cultural attitudes and demographic shifts in the population have highlighted the pervasiveness of sexual concerns in all ethnic and age groups.