Men’s Health

                                                                                          

Turning 50 years old doesn’t mean you have to slow down, but now’s the time to maximize nutrition. Here are the top five nutrients for men over 50, and how to include them every day. Most men fall short in at least one of these,   but a multivitamin can solve some of these common nutritional discrepancies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           1. Vitamin B12 for Energy

Vitamin B12 helps you harness energy from the protein and fat in food and make red blood cells that carry oxygen to cells and working                                                                                                                     muscles. The suggested intake for vitamin B12 doesn’t change after age 50, but age alters the way your body processes it.

 

Naturally occurring vitamin B12 uses stomach acid to facilitate absorption, but stomach acid production declines with age, putting many older adults at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to nerve damage that could slow you down.

 

After age 50, try getting most of your vitamin B12 from dietary supplements and fortified foods, which both use a synthetic form of the vitamin that doesn’t require stomach acid for absorption.

 

2. Calcium for Bone Strength

When you think of calcium, osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones more fracture-prone, may come to mind. And when you think of osteoporosis, you may think of it as a woman’s disease. That’s not entirely true. While women rapidly lose bone mass in their 50s, by 65 or 70, men and women are losing bone mass at the same rate, and the absorption of calcium decreases in both sexes. To support bone health, take in the suggested 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily, about the amount found in three servings of dairy foods. If you don’t consume adequate amounts of calcium-rich foods, consider taking a supplement to meet the suggested daily intake.

 

 3. Vitamin D to Help Absorb Calcium

Vitamin D assists the body’s absorption of calcium and oversees calcium’s movement into, and out of your bones, and it’s similarly involved in skeletal muscle health. Additionally, vitamin D also supports brain health as cognitive function becomes a greater concern with age.

 

The body can make vitamin D when skin is exposed to strong summer sunlight. However, many people avoid the sun because of concerns about skin cancer and premature wrinkling of the skin. In addition, the older you get, the less efficient skin becomes in helping to produce vitamin D. You need 15 mcg of vitamin D daily, the equivalent of six, eight-ounce glasses of fortified milk. If you’re over the age of 70, your vitamin D needs increased.

 

Other foods with vitamin D include salmon, tuna, and fortified eggs. Many people don’t get enough vitamin D from food and rely on dietary supplements to make up for the remainder.

 

 4. Vitamin B6 to Aid in the Metabolism of Fats, Carbohydrates, and Proteins

Vitamin B6 helps your body to keep going. It helps to keep your heart in working order, and it helps facilitate the release of glucose—fuel for your cells—from the liver and muscles, so that you can stay active. Vitamin B6 needs increase slightly after age 50 (from 1.3 mg to 1.7 mg.  Salmon is rich in vitamin B6, and other sources of vitamin B6 include fortified breakfast cereal, potatoes, bananas, and pork.

 

5. Fiber for Digestion

Fiber does more than keep your digestive system running smoothly. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), dietary fiber falls under one of two categories: naturally occurring fibers that are “intrinsic and intact” in plants and synthesized or isolated non-digestible soluble and insoluble carbohydrates.

 

The fiber that occurs naturally in foods may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity. Fiber also provides feelings of fullness, which may help with weight control.

 

Men over 50 should aim for 28 grams of dietary fiber every day. To meet the suggested fiber intake, include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables and at least three servings of whole grains in your eating plan.

 

Foods that are naturally rich in fiber also supply many other nutrients, including carbohydrates for energy, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and protective plant compounds.

 

Beyond Nutrients

While a well-balanced diet goes a long way in helping support longevity, healthy aging also involves sustaining an active lifestyle. Find and engage in activities you enjoy, like golf, swimming, tennis, or gym or home workouts.

 

Your physical health is a valuable factor for health outcomes, but your mental health should not take a backseat.  Try to be social, keep a positive attitude, and preserve your outlook. Instead of fearing aging, we should celebrate it, and if you approach it with a healthy mindset, you can improve your longevity and quality of life.

 

Jan Ricks Jennings, MHA, LFACHE

Senior Consultant

Senior Management Resources

JanJenningsBlog.blogspot.com

Jan.Jennings@EagleTalons.net

 

724.733.0509 Office

412.913.0636 Cell

September 29, 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

 

 

                                 

 

                                        Women’s Healthcare in the United States

 

 

What Is the Status of Women’s Health and Health Care in the U.S. Compared to Ten Other Countries?

Women in the United States have long lagged their counterparts in other high-income countries in terms of access to health care and health status. This brief compares U.S. women’s health status, affordability of health plans, and ability to access and utilize care with women in 10 other high-income countries by using international data.

 

U.S. women report the least positive experiences among the 11 countries studied. They have the greatest burden of chronic illness, highest rates of skipping needed health care because of cost, difficulty affording their health care, and are least satisfied with their care.

Women in the U.S. have the highest rate of maternal mortality because of complications from pregnancy or childbirth, as well as among the highest rates of caesarean sections. Women in Sweden and Norway have among the lowest rates of both.

Women in Sweden and the U.S. report the highest rates of breast cancer screening among countries surveyed; women in Norway, Sweden, and Australia.  

More than one-quarter of women in the U.S. and Switzerland report spending $2,000 or more out of pocket on medical costs for themselves or their family in the past year compared to 5 percent or fewer in most of the other study countries.

More than one-third of women in the U.S. report skipping needed medical care because of costs, a far higher rate than the other countries included in the study.

U.S. women are less likely to rate their quality of care as excellent or very good compared to women in all other countries studied.

Compared to women in other high-income countries — like, for instance, Germany or Australia — American women have long struggled to access the health care they need. The United States spends more on health care than other countries do, but Americans report high rates of not seeking care because of costs.  Moreover, Americans gave high instances of chronic disease. Prior research has found that poor access to primary care in the United States had led to inadequate management and prevention of diagnoses and diseases.

Women in the U.S. reported a higher rate of having multiple chronic diseases compared to women in the 10 other countries, with German women reporting the lowest rates. One of five U.S. women reported having two or more chronic conditions, compared to one of 10 or less in Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia. Chronic diseases include a diagnosis of joint pain or arthritis, asthma or chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure.

 

The relationship between emotional distress and health is complex, but some research shows emotional distress can exacerbate physical illness as well as lead to difficulties managing other aspects of life, such as the ability to work. One-quarter or more of women in Australia, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, and the U.S. reported having experienced emotional distress — that is, anxiety or sadness that was difficult to cope with alone in the past two years. Only 7 percent of women in Germany reported having emotional distress and only 11 percent of women in France.

Women in the U.S. had the highest rate of maternal mortality because of complications from pregnancy or childbirth; women in Sweden and Norway had among the lowest rates. High rates of caesarean sections, lack of prenatal care, and increased rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease may be contributing factors to the high rate in the U.S.

 

Caesarean sections are generally not recommended for younger mothers with uncomplicated births and are often more costly than vaginal births because of the costs of the operating room and medical personnel, longer recovery, and hospital stays. Australia, Switzerland, and the U.S. have the highest rates, while women in Norway and the Netherlands have the lowest rates — approximately half the rate of the highest-ranking countries. The reasons behind the wide variation observed in caesarean section rates across developed countries warrants further investigation; however, some researchers suggest it is a combination of a country’s specific health system, physician and patient preferences, cultural factors, population characteristics, and payment incentives.

 High health care costs create significant financial burdens on U.S. household budgets, even among insured families. Over one-quarter of women in Switzerland and the U.S. reported spending $2,000 or more in out-of-pocket medical costs for themselves or their family in the past year. In comparison, no more than one of 20 women reported such high costs in most other countries included in the study.

U.S. women most often reported problems paying or disputing medical bills or spending time on related paperwork. Nearly half (44%) of women in the U.S. faced such problems compared with only 2 percent in the U.K. U.S. women had the highest rates of having payment denied by their insurers or receiving a smaller insurance payment than they expected, compared to women in other countries.

 

Many women in the U.S. skip needed medical care because of costs, likely because of high out-of-pocket costs and the fact that 11 million women still have no insurance coverage. Thirty-eight percent of women in the U.S. reported they went without recommended care, did not see a doctor when sick, or failed to fill prescriptions because of costs in the past year. This is the highest rate among the 11 countries in our analysis (Appendix 5). Before the implementation of the ACA in the U.S., the rate was even higher, 43 percent. In the U.K. and Germany, only 5 percent and 7 percent of women, respectively, reported forgoing care because of cost.

Having a regular doctor or place of care, such as a primary care physician, is important for preventing disease, managing chronic conditions, and coordinating specialist visits. Majorities of women in all 11 countries reported having a regular doctor or place of care. But somewhat fewer women in the U.S. and Switzerland reported having a regular doctor, compared to those in the other nine countries. In contrast, all women in the Netherlands reported having a regular doctor or place of care.

 

 But recent changes by the Congress may jeopardize this progress. These changes include repeal of the law’s individual mandate penalty; expansion of plans that do not have to comply with the law’s consumer protections and benefit requirements, including the requirement to provide maternity care; threats to remove guaranteed coverage of preexisting conditions; and proposed changes to Title X funding. In the future, these changes may raise costs and limit access to health insurance and services for people who do not qualify for subsidized care, especially those with health problems. They could reduce the recent gains U.S. women have made and widen differences between women in the U.S. and those in other countries.

 

Using data from the Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey (2016) and measures from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), this brief compares U.S. women’s health status, affordability of health plans, and ability to access and utilize care with women in 10 other industrialized countries.

 

For an overview of each country’s health care system, see Appendix 1, and for further detailed information on each country’s health system, see the Commonwealth Fund International Health Care System Profiles here.

 

It is recommended that women have screenings for breast and cervical cancers. The U.S. fares well compared to other countries on these indicators. Older women in the U.S. and Sweden are screened for breast cancer more often than women in the other countries analyzed; women in Switzerland are screened at the lowest rate.

 

 

Women in the U.S. had among the lowest rates of breast cancer–related deaths, after Norway, Sweden, and Australia. Women in the Netherlands and Germany had the highest rates.

 

 

High health care costs create significant financial burdens on U.S. household budgets, even among insured families. Over one-quarter of women in Switzerland and the U.S. reported spending $2,000 or more in out-of-pocket medical costs for themselves or their family in the past year. In comparison, no more than one of 20 women reported such high costs in most other countries included in the study.

 

 

U.S. women most often reported problems paying or disputing medical bills or spending time on related paperwork. Nearly half (44%) of women in the U.S. faced such problems compared with only 2 percent in the U.K. U.S. women had the highest rates of having payment denied by their insurers or receiving a smaller insurance payment than they expected, compared to women in other countries (Appendix 4).

 

 

More than one of three women in Canada, the U.S., and Sweden reported emergency department (ED) visits in the past two years; rates were lower in other countries. Women in Germany had the lowest rate of ED visits.

 

Women in the U.S., Switzerland, and the Netherlands had quicker access to specialist care. Among women who needed to see a specialist in the past two years, only a quarter of women in these countries had to wait more than four weeks for an appointment, compared to most women in Canada and Norway.

 

 

More than one of three women in Canada, the U.S., and Sweden reported emergency department (ED) visits in the past two years; rates were lower in other countries. Women in Germany had the lowest rate of ED visits.

 

 

Women in the U.S., Switzerland, and the Netherlands had quicker access to specialist care. Among women who needed to see a specialist in the past two years, only a quarter of women in these countries had to wait more than four weeks for an appointment, compared to most women in Canada and Norway.

 

Women in the United States continue to be disadvantaged by their relatively poorer health status and higher costs of care, while benefiting from higher rates of preventive screenings and quicker access to specialty care. While this study did not investigate the reasons behind these findings, they might be viewed in the context of lower rates of health insurance coverage in the U.S., as well as differences in health care delivery systems and the level of social protection across countries.

 

Consistent with other research, we find that U.S. women have the highest rate of maternal mortality among high-income countries. What’s more, this rate has been steadily rising in the past decades. Considerable racial, rural-urban, and other socioeconomic disparities also persist. U.S. maternal mortality is three times higher among African American mothers — with rates like those found in developing countries — compared to white mothers.

 

As stated before is notable that U.S. women face fewer barriers to accessing specialist care relative to women in most of the 10 other countries analyzed.  Also, stated before, the U.S. also outperforms most countries in terms of breast cancer screenings. This, coupled with relatively low rate of breast cancer deaths, may be associated with the high quality of cancer care delivered in the U.S., including extensive screenings, treatments, and technology.

 

Despite the significant gains the United States has made in health insurance coverage since the implementation of the ACA, the U.S. remains the only country in this study without universal coverage. Uninsured adults most often cite concerns about affordability as the reason they do not shop for coverage. Coverage is out of reach for people with low incomes who live in states that have not expanded Medicaid and those who are undocumented and therefore ineligible for coverage. In addition, many people in the U.S. have insurance plans with high levels of cost-sharing. More than one-third of women in the U.S. continue to skip needed care because of costs. While the rates of going without needed care because of costs and problems paying medical bills have decreased since 2010, they are still the highest among all 11 countries included in the 2016 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey.

 

The continued efforts by Congress to weaken the ACA, rather than improve the quality and affordability of health insurance, may increase the cost of insurance, and make it more difficult for some women to afford comprehensive health coverage. These actions support for ending the ACA’s guaranteed issue and preexisting conditions protections, which ensure every individual has access to insurance regardless of their health status and expanding the availability of plans which are not required to comply with the law’s consumer protections. A recent analysis of 24 short-term insurance policies found that none provided coverage for maternity care.

 

Many women also receive routine primary care and behavioral health services at women’s health centers. But states can take steps toward prioritizing women’s health. For example, California successfully reduced the rate of maternal mortality by 55 percent in less than a decade, through the statewide Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review program that introduced surveillance, public health, and quality improvement initiatives for maternal care.

 

Given the substantial maternal mortality gap between U.S. women and their counterparts in other countries, policymakers might also look at the organization of health systems of these countries. For example, in many other countries compared in this brief, maternal care is free at the point of delivery, including postpartum care.   Furthermore, most countries deliver maternal care in primary care or community-based settings by nurses or midwives, rather than in specialty or inpatient settings using obstetricians, as is often the case in the U.S. This not only makes care more expensive, but also limits women’s choices around childbirth. Midwives attend only 12 percent of U.S. vaginal births. Other countries also provide greater social protection for women of reproductive age. The U.S. remains the only country in the developed world that does not guarantee paid maternity leave, despite International Labor Organization standards recommending that new mothers should be provided at least two-thirds of previous earnings for a minimum of 14 weeks.

 

Finally, since research suggests that the differences in health spending between the U.S. and the rest of the world stem largely from higher prices, payment and delivery system reform must be at the top of the nation’s policy agenda. For example, international data show that the average costs of a normal delivery or a caesarean section are about twice as high in the U.S. as in Australia and about 40 percent to 60 percent higher than in Switzerland. Bringing health costs under control will help improve access to health insurance and health care.

 

 

Jan Ricks Jennings

Senior Consultant

Senior Management Services, LLC

 

Jan.Jennings@EagleTalons.net

JanJenningsBlog.BlogSpot.com

 

724.733.0509 Office                                              September 25,2021

412.913.0636 Cell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

The Warmth of the Human Spirit

As many of you know my parents were both born on peanut farms in Southeast Virginia. They were very connected to a world that was out of doors and the lessons of nature.

In the winter of 1956 I was ten years old. My parents were very religious and we never missed going to church. However on one early Sunday morning my father received a phone call from his best friend. They were both from Virginia and they both came to Pittsburgh for the rebuilding of the city. His friend related something to my father that was going on at Lake Emily in Renzie Park in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. It gave them both memories of their childhood.

My father announced we were NOT going to church and he whispered into my mother's ear what my brother and I were going to witness for the first time. We all piled into a 1953 Studebaker bullet nose and drove to Lake Emily. There in the semi-frozen lake was a group of Canadian geese trying to make a late migration south. They had spent the night on Lake Emily. One of the younger geese had one of its legs frozen in the lake and could not free itself to fly. We witnessed all of the other geese gathering around the "stuck" goose providing the warmth of their bodies to melt the ice holding back their young and weaker flying partner. It was quite a scene.

As the geese gathered closer and closer the "stuck" goose became more calm. Finally after about thirty minutes the ice melted and all of the geese took off in perfect formation. The lesson was not lost on my brother and me. The more we gather close and share the warmth of the human spirit the easier it is to fly and free ourselves from life's frozen moments. My prayer is that this message will touch your heart. That you will allow the warmth of your God given human spirit to release the potential of those weaker than yourself and in need of a little support. We are all so blessed and our calling it to give back something . . . anything.

As we enter 2008 we each will find our "leg frozen in the lake" at least once. Let's support one another and all fly together in perfect formation.

Jan Ricks Jennings, MHA, LFACHE

Senior Consultant

Senior Management Services, LLC

Jan.Jennings@Eagle.Talons.net

JanJenningsBlog.Blogspot.com

724.733.0509 Office

412.913.0636 Cell

December, 2007

                                                                       

 

Were these 33 deaths at Virginia Tech Avoidable

 In the early 1990’s I served on a bank board of directors in Buffalo, New York. I was quite surprised at the enormous expense banks incur cooperating with one another to prevent credit card fraud and assuring quality service by ATMs. We had a senior bank executive who spent so much time in New York City working on one bank consortium or another; I thought he should move there. I was reminded of him recently.

Last month I was inside a gas station near my home buying a Diet Coke. A woman in front of me tried to buy two packs of cigarettes with three different credit cards. With unbelievable speed each of the credit cards was rejected by the issuing banks. The information encoded on the magnetic strip on the back of each credit card was transmitted to a computer somewhere and was rejected for one reason or another. The woman did not get her cigarettes and she angrily stormed out of the gas station. A $9.00 theft was prevented by advance planning that would have made her head spin.

U.S. Banks are committed to prevent credit card theft, make their ATMs provide extraordinary service and prevent them from inadvertently spewing twenty dollar bills. Are these systems perfect? Of course they are not. On the other hand, when was the last time you got a twenty dollar bill from an ATM you did not deserve or get shorted a twenty dollar bill you did deserve?

Almost beyond belief, a similar level of human intelligence is not assembled on a regular basis to develop highly reliable systems to prevent tragic events like the massacre at Virginia Tech.

On April 16 Seung-Hui Cho strolled around the Campus of Virginia Tech and killed 32 faculty members and students, wounded more than 20 others and then shot himself. This incident could have been prevented.

In December of 2005, Seung-Hui Cho was declared by a Virginia special justice to be “mentally ill and in need of hospitalization, and presents an imminent (sic) danger to self or others as a result of mental illness.” There are some reports that this information should have been reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. There are other reports that the way the Virginia form for recording “mental defect” is published, there was no requirement to report Seung-Hui Cho to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. In addition, only 22 states report individuals who are declared to be mentally ill and unsafe to themselves or others. State officials all across the country complain they do not have the resources or the computer technology to “efficiently or effectively” discharge their responsibility to report individuals that need reported to the National Background Check System.

Here we are weeks later and it is still unclear if Seung-Hui Cho should have been allowed to legally purchase weapons in Virginia. Purchase them he did. Roanoke Firearms owner John Markell said his shop sold the Glock, 9 mm hand gun and a box of practice ammo to Cho 36 days before the massacre for $571. Cho had also purchased a Walther, .22-caliber weapon from an out-of-state dealer. Mr. Markell thought Cho was a polite and nice young man. He was devastated to learn he had sold the more lethal of the two weapons. He will wakeup every morning for the rest of his life and wonder why he was not informed that Mr. Cho was a ticking time bomb.

Prominent faculty members at Virginia Tech reported Mr. Cho to University officials and expressed in clear language their concerns that Mr. Cho had serious problems and was potentially dangerous. On the morning of Mr. Cho’s rampage he lived in a dormitory suite with five other men who had their expressed concerns about Mr. Cho, but did not know that their reclusive roommate had been declared dangerous to himself or others and that responsible faculty members were seriously concerned that Mr. Cho might hurt himself or others.

I am no mental health professional, but these circumstances appear to be crazy.

I am not a gun control nut. Guns are so deeply ingrained in American culture that the notion that this could have been prevented by eliminating guns is naïve. But where was the consortium of mental health professionals, gun enthusiasts and academic leaders to assure that someone officially deemed “dangerous to himself or others” would not show up in a gun dealers shop and legally purchase a hand gun? No such consortium exists.

Mental health professionals worry about the “privacy rights” of patients. They should. Gun enthusiasts worry about having their guns taken away from them. That is not going to happen. University leaders, quite properly, have no interest in turning their campuses into communities of unnecessary fear and alarm. I do not see these groups working together on a basis that can truly make a difference.

President Bush appointed a commission to study the matter. The Governor of Virginia appointed a commission to study the matter. We did that after the massacre at Columbine High School.

Developing near flawless systems of any kind is hard work. It is tedious. People of honest endeavor frequently disagree during the process. So far, our society is more willing to prevent credit card fraud than it is to protect our youth and others from the occasional massacre. This simple truth almost takes your breath away.

When Seung-Hui Cho killed himself he did not eliminate the population of U.S. residents capable of committing the next school massacre. In my heart I know what you know. We could put together the right people to develop systems that prevent many of these incidents.

Despite all of the publicity surrounding identity theft, it is sad that the credit cards in my wallet are safer than the college students who live in my neighborhood.

Jan Ricks Jennings

Senior Consultant

Senior Management Services, LLC

Jan.Jennings@EagleTalons.net

JanJenningsBlog@Blogspot.com

724.733.0509 Office

724.733.0408 Home

Reprinted with permission from Western Pennsylvania Boomers Magazine

                                                     Sexually Transmieases are

Alive and Well in the United States

 

This article is written solely for the purpose of elaborating on a serious problem in our society.   It is graphic and not for the timid or the faint of heart.   If you are offended by the content, I apologize in advance.  You never know, someone may pass through your life that could benefit from your advice and counsel.  Sexually transmitted diseases are worsening in our society, and they affect all strata of our socioeconomic spectrum.

 

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are very common. In addition to HIV, there are dozens of other types of sexually transmitted diseases. Often there are no symptoms, at least not at first. Left untreated, STDs can cause serious health issues. 

The good news is all STDs, including HIV, are treatable, and many are curable.

While routine testing for many STDs is recommended, that does not mean it always happens as part of a regular checkup or gynecologist exam. To know for sure, ask to be tested.

Scroll on for more about specific STDs, including symptoms, testing and treatment.

A healthcare provider can advise on which STDs you should be tested for and how often. If you don’t have a regular provider, free or low-cost STD testing is available in most areas.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is one of the most common STDs. There are an estimated 1.7 million new cases a year in the U.S. Many people who have chlamydia do not know it. Often there are no symptoms. Left untreated, chlamydia can cause infertility and pain in both women and men. Once diagnosed, it is easily cured with antibiotics.

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection usually transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex through semen and vaginal fluids. It can infect the penis, vagina, cervix, anus, urethra, eyes, and throat.

Chlamydia can also be passed during birth to a baby if the mother has it and is not treated.

When used consistently and correctly, condoms protect against chlamydia and many other STDs.

Like most STDs, chlamydia often does not show any symptoms. As a result, many people with chlamydia do not know it. The only way to know is to get tested.

If symptoms do appear, they may include pain or burning while urinating and/or during sex, lower belly pain, swollen or tender testicles, or abnormal discharge from the vagina, penis, or anus.

There are different tests for chlamydia. It can be as simple and easy as urinating in a cup. Some health providers might use a genital swab (like a big Q-tip) to take cell samples from the urethra, vagina, cervix, or anus. The samples are tested for chlamydia bacteria.

To find free and low-cost STD testing near you, go to greaterthan.org/services.

Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.

It is important to complete the full treatment, as prescribed by your healthcare provider, even if symptoms go away sooner. The infection stays in the body until you finish the antibiotics. Also, do not share your medicine with anyone or take someone else’s.

Some healthcare providers may give a separate dose of antibiotics for your partner(s), so you do not re-infect each other or anyone else. Do not have sex until treatment is finished.

Get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure the infection is gone, and you were not re-exposed.

Untreated chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women. Women with PID may not realize they have it, but left untreated it can cause pain, infertility, or ectopic pregnancy.

As previously stated, pregnant women with untreated chlamydia can pass it to their babies during childbirth. It can cause eye infections and pneumonia in newborns and increase the risk of delivering a baby too early.

In men, chlamydia can spread to the epididymis (a tube that carries sperm from the testicles), and can cause chronic joint pain and infertility for some.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a common STD, especially among teens and people in their 20s. Sometimes called “the clap” or “the drip.” Gonorrhea may not show symptoms. Left untreated, it can cause infertility and pain in both women and men. Once diagnosed, it is easily cured with antibiotics.

Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection usually transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It is spread when semen or vaginal fluids get on or inside the genitals, anus, or mouth. Gonorrhea can be passed even if the penis does not go all the way in the vagina or anus.

Gonorrhea can also be passed to a baby during birth if the mother has it and is not treated.

Like most STDs, gonorrhea often does not show any symptoms, or the signs may be so mild a person does not even notice them. The only way to know is to get tested.

When symptoms do appear, it is usually within a week of infection and may include pain or burning when urinating, abnormal discharge from the vagina or penis, and pain or swelling in the testicles.

Gonorrhea can also infect the anus if the patient has anal sex or may spread to the anus from another part of the body (like by wiping after using the bathroom). Anal gonorrhea often does not have any symptoms, but signs can include itching in or around the anus, discharge from the anus, or pain when defecating.

There are different tests for gonorrhea. It can be as simple and easy as urinating in a cup. Some healthcare providers might use a swab (like a big Q-tip) to take cell samples from the penis, cervix, urethra, anus, or throat. The samples are tested for gonorrhea bacteria.

To find free and low-cost STD testing near you, go to greaterthan.org/services.

Gonorrhea can be easily cured with antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.

It is important to complete the full treatment, as prescribed by the healthcare provider, even if symptoms go away sooner. The infection stays in the body until the patient finishes the antibiotics. Also, the patient should not share medicine with anyone or take someone else’s.

Some healthcare providers may give a separate dose of antibiotics for the patient’s partner(s), so you do not re-infect each other or anyone else. It is important not to have sex until one has finished treatment.

The patient should get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure the infection is gone, and the patient has not re-exposed.

Untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women. Women with PID may not realize they have it, but left untreated it can cause pain, infertility, or ectopic pregnancy.

As previously stated, pregnant women with untreated gonorrhea can pass it to their babies during childbirth. It can cause blindness, joint infections, or blood infections in newborns, which can be deadly.

In men, untreated gonorrhea can spread to the epididymis (a tube that carries sperm from the testicles) and can cause pain in the testicles. Rarely, it can cause infertility.

Condoms are a low cost, easy to get and highly effective prevention option. When used correctly and consistently, condoms protect against gonorrhea, as well as many other STDs and pregnancy.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can cause liver disease. About half of people with hepatitis B do not experience any symptoms. There is no cure, but a vaccine is available to protect against infection.

Hepatitis B is transmitted through semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and urine during sex – vaginal, anal, or oral – or through needles, razors, or toothbrushes with blood on them.

Hepatitis B can also be passed to babies during birth if their mother has it and is not treated.

When used consistently and correctly, condoms protect against hepatitis B and many other STDs.

A vaccine to protect against infection is available for hepatitis B. It requires a series of three shots provided by a healthcare provider over several months. A patient needs all three shots for it to most effective. Babies now get the hepatitis B vaccine from their healthcare provider as a regular part of their checkup.

About half of adults with hepatitis B do not experience any symptoms. If people do have symptoms, they may go unnoticed or look like other common illnesses, like the flu. Hepatitis B symptoms typically last for a few weeks but can sometimes last for months.

If symptoms do appear, they may include stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, joint pain, fever, dark-colored urine, or hives. Because hepatitis B affects the liver, it may also cause jaundice - when the eyes and skin yellow.

Hepatitis B is tested with a blood sample. It may take up to two months after infection before a positive result.

To find free and low-cost STD testing near you, go to greaterthan.org/services.

If you have chronic hepatitis B, there are prescription medications that can help keep your liver healthy. Check with a healthcare provider before taking any over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, or nutritional supplements to make sure they won’t further hurt your liver.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects the liver. An estimated 2.

million people are living with hepatitis C in the U.S. Most people do not experience any symptoms. Hepatitis C can be cured with prescription medication. Left untreated, it can lead to liver disease, cancer and even death.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus. Today, hepatitis C is most often transmitted by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. If you inject drugs, always use new, sterile needles, and don’t reuse or share needles, syringes, or other injection drug equipment.

Hepatitis C can also be transmitted during sex. When used consistently and correctly, condoms protect against hepatitis C and many other STDs.

Most people with hepatitis C do not experience any symptoms. If people do have symptoms, they may go unnoticed or look like other common illnesses, like the flu.

If symptoms do appear, they usually occur 6-12 weeks after infection and may include: stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, joint pain, fever, or dark-colored urine. Because hepatitis C affects the liver, it may also cause jaundice - when the eyes and skin yellow.

Hepatitis C is tested with a blood sample. To find free and low-cost STD testing near you, go to greaterthan.org/services.

Hepatitis C can be a short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic) disease. Acute hepatitis C is typically monitored but not treated and may go away on its own without treatment. According to the CDC, almost 85% of people with hepatitis C will develop chronic infection.

There are several medications available to treat chronic hepatitis C. New safe and effective treatments can cure most people living with the virus.

Left untreated, chronic hepatitis C can lead to liver cancer, liver cirrhosis and even death.

People living with HIV are at higher risk for hepatitis C. Of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the U.S., about 1 in 4 also have hepatitis C.

Having both HIV and hepatitis C (called co-infection) means increased risk for liver disease, liver failure and liver-related death from hepatitis C. Because hepatitis is often serious in people living with HIV and may lead to liver damage more quickly, the CDC recommends people living with, or at risk for HIV, also get tested for hepatitis C.

Herpes

Herpes is a very common STD. It can cause sores on the genitals and/or mouth. An estimated 1 in 6 people ages 14-49 in the U.S. has genital herpes. There is no cure for herpes, but prescription medication can ease symptoms and lower the chances of passing the virus to others. Herpes can be painful, but usually does not lead to serious health problems.

There are two different herpes viruses: Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2).

Herpes is transmitted from skin-to-skin contact when an individual’s genitals and/or mouth touch the genitals and/or mouth – usually during oral, anal, or vaginal sex – of someone with the virus. Herpes can be passed even if the penis or tongue does not go all the way in the vagina, anus, or mouth.

While rare, a mother can pass genital herpes to the baby during vaginal childbirth.

Herpes is most easily transmitted when sores are open and wet because fluid from herpes blisters easily spreads the virus. But herpes can also “shed” and be passed to others when there are no sores, and the skin looks totally normal. Most people get herpes from someone who does not have any sores. When used consistently and correctly, condoms help protect against herpes and many other STDs.

The most common symptoms of genital herpes are outbreaks of itchy, painful blisters or sores on the vagina, vulva, cervix, penis, buttocks, anus, or inside of the thighs.

The first outbreak usually starts about 2 to 20 days after exposure to herpes, but sometimes it takes years for the first outbreak to happen. It usually lasts about 2 to 4 weeks. Even though the blisters go away, the virus stays in the body and can cause sores again. It is common to get repeat outbreaks, especially during the first year of having herpes.

The first outbreak of herpes is usually the worst. Repeat outbreaks are usually shorter and less painful. Most people with herpes get fewer outbreaks as time goes on, and some stop having them altogether.

Other symptoms may include itching, pain around the genitals or having trouble urinating. If genital herpes is caused by HSV-2, there may also be flu-like symptoms, such as swollen glands, fever, chills, and aches.

Usually, oral herpes is less painful than genital herpes and doesn’t make one feel as sick. Oral herpes causes sores on the lips or around the mouth – called cold sores or fever blisters.

Cold sores last a few weeks and then go away on their own. They can re-appear in weeks, months, or years. Cold sores are usually harmless in kids and adults but can be dangerous to newborn babies.

If there are blisters or sores, a healthcare provider may gently swab the area to take a fluid sample and test it. If there are no sores, but you are concerned you may have been exposed, a blood test may do. Herpes tests are not normally recommended unless you have symptoms.

To find free and low-cost STD testing near you, go to greaterthan.org/services.

There’s no cure for herpes, but prescription medications can ease symptoms, end outbreaks sooner, and lower the chances of passing the virus to other people.

The patient can also help ease the pain caused by herpes outbreaks by taking a warm bath, wearing loose clothing, and putting an ice pack on the sores.

Herpes can be painful, but it generally does not cause serious health problems like other STDs can.

Without treatment, the patient might continue to have regular outbreaks, or they could only happen rarely. Some people naturally stop getting outbreaks after a while. Herpes typically does not get worse over time.

HIV/AIDS

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and can lead to AIDS, a clinical diagnosis that indicates an advanced stage of HIV. HIV may not show symptoms initially. Left untreated, HIV can lead to death.  Testing for HIV is recommended as a part of routine healthcare.

The most common way people get HIV is through unprotected anal or vaginal sex with someone with HIV who is not aware of their status or not on consistent antiretroviral treatment. According to the CDC, HIV transmission through oral sex is extremely rare.

Sharing used needles, syringes, or other drug preparation equipment increases the risk of getting HIV.

HIV can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy, birth and through breastfeeding, although this risk can be almost eliminated with treatment.

HIV is NOT spread through sharing glasses or plates, food, holding hands, toilet seats, or other casual contact. You also cannot get HIV through closed-mouth or “social” kissing or saliva.

When used consistently and correctly, condoms protect against HIV and many other STDs. Another prevention option is pre-exposure prophylaxis – a once-a-day pill for people who do not have HIV and want added protection. It is available only by prescription and is highly effective in protecting against getting HIV does not protect against other STDs.

PEP – post-exposure prophylaxis – is a prescription medication that can be taken within 72 hours after potential exposure to prevent HIV. It is for emergency use only, and not intended for regular, ongoing use. If you are prescribed PEP you will need to take it once or twice daily for 28 days. Contact your healthcare provider or emergency room for a prescription.

Like most STDs, HIV often does not show any symptoms initially, even for years. Sometimes people may experience symptoms within a few weeks of exposure, however these symptoms may go unnoticed or look like other common illnesses. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.

Here are several different types of HIV tests. Some use blood, others test cells inside the mouth. HIV blood tests may be done by finger stick or a draw from the inner arm. Oral HIV tests use a swab of the mouth. Rapid HIV tests can provide results in under 20 minutes, sometimes as fast as one minute. Home tests can be purchased in many drug stores.

If you have a preference for the type of HIV test, ask your healthcare provider what options are available.

There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, but antiretroviral (ARV) prescription medications allow people with HIV to live normal, healthy lifespans.

Antiretrovirals work to lower the amount of virus in the body (viral load), often to levels that are undetectable by standard lab tests. The vast majority of people who take their ARVs every day as prescribed and remain in care are able to achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load. In addition to improving health, getting and keeping a low viral load also prevents the spread of the virus to others.

A person diagnosed with HIV today who is on ongoing ARV medication and in medical care can live a normal, healthy lifespan and have children without HIV.

Taking HIV treatment every day as prescribed prevents illness and the spread of the virus to others. Left untreated, HIV can lead to death.

Missing doses of antiretrovirals (ARVs) can cause the amount of virus in the body to rise. This may result in the virus becoming resistant to a particular HIV treatment, possibly making that treatment not work as well, including reducing the preventative benefits.

If you are having difficulty taking or keeping up with your treatment, talk with your healthcare provider as soon as possible and consider using additional strategies to prevent sexual HIV transmission. Your provider can work with you to help get you back on track, including trying different ARVs if needed.

HPV

HPV is the most common STD. There are more than 150 different types of HPV. Many forms of HPV do not show any symptoms. Some cause genital warts. The HPV vaccine protects against certain types that are associated with genital warts and cervical cancer.

About 40 types of HPV infect the genital area – the vulva, vagina, cervix, rectum, anus, penis, and scrotum – as well as the mouth and throat.

These kinds of HPV are transmitted from sexual skin-to-skin contact when the vulva, vagina, cervix, penis, or anus touches the genitals, mouth or throat of someone with HPV.

If you do not have HPV, the vaccine can help protect you from certain types, including those associated with cervical cancer. When used consistently and correctly, condoms help protect against HPV and many other STDs.

The HPV vaccine also protects against certain types of HPV that can lead to cancer or genital warts. The HPV vaccine works extremely well. Clinical trials showed the HPV vaccine provides close to 100% protection against cervical precancers and genital warts.

The HPV vaccine is most effective during adolescence, when the body produces more antibodies against the virus. It is given in a series of shots.

 

HPV, like most STDs, often does not show any symptoms.

Two types of HPV (6 and 11) can cause genital warts, which are harmless growths on the skin of the vulva, vagina, cervix, penis, scrotum, or anus. Genital warts look like fleshy, soft bumps that sometimes resemble miniature cauliflower. Usually painless, these can be treated and removed just like the warts a patient might get on his or her hands or feet.

Pap smears do not directly test for HPV but can detect abnormal cell changes in the cervix of women that are likely caused by HPV and can lead to cancer. If abnormal cells are detected, a healthcare provider will advise on monitoring and treatment.

There is an HPV test that can find some high-risk types of the virus directly, but it may not be widely available. It may be provided as a follow-up to a Pap test that finds abnormal cells or when Pap test results are not clear.

For men, there is currently no test approved to detect high-risk HPV. By getting vaccinated against HPV, men can help to prevent transmission.

To find free and low-cost STD testing near you, go to greaterthan.org/services.

There is no cure for HPV. If you don't have HPV, the vaccine is the best defense against cancer caused by HPV, as well as genital warts. Regular pap smears for women are also critical to finding abnormal cell changes in the cervix early. Genital warts may be removed by a healthcare provider to prevent the spread of that type of HPV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Syphilis

 

Syphilis is a common STD. It often does not show any symptoms. Left untreated, it can cause permanent damage, like blindness or paralysis. Once diagnosed, it is easily cured with antibiotics.

Syphilis is transmitted from skin-to-skin contact through vaginal and anal sex. It is less common – but still possible – to get it from oral sex.

A mother can also pass syphilis to a baby during pregnancy and childbirth if the mother has it and is not treated.

When used consistently and correctly, condoms protect against syphilis and many other STDs.

As stated above, syphilis often does not show symptoms like most STD’s. The only way to know is to get tested.

There are several stages of syphilis and symptoms can vary with each stage. In the primary stage, symptoms may include sores on the vulva, vagina, anus, penis, scrotum, or mouth, but many people do not have sores or notice them.  Syphilis sores (called a chancre) are usually firm, round, and painless, or sometimes open and wet.

In the secondary stage, symptoms often include a rash – which can be hard to see and usually does not itch. A patient may feel sick and have mild flu-like symptoms, like a slight fever, tiredness, sore throat, swollen glands, headache, and muscle aches.

Syphilis is tested with a blood sample. If you have open sores, a healthcare provider may gently swab the area to take a sample of fluid and test it.

When diagnosed early, syphilis can be easily cured with antibiotics (usually penicillin) prescribed by a healthcare provider.

It is important to complete the full treatment, as prescribed by a healthcare provider, even if symptoms go away sooner. The infection stays in the body until the antibiotics course is completed.

Some healthcare providers may give a separate dose of antibiotics for the patient’s partner(s) to avoid re-infecting each other or anyone else. Do not have sex until you have finished treatment.

The patient should get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure the infection is gone and the patient was not re-exposed.

As stated above,  syphilis is easily cured with antibiotics in the early stages. Left untreated, syphilis can cause tumors, blindness, paralysis, damage to the nervous system, brain and other organs, and may even be fatal.

If you are pregnant and have syphilis that is not treated, it can be passed to the baby during pregnancy or birth – called congenital syphilis. Congenital syphilis can lead to stillbirth, birth defects, or infant death.

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a very common STD. Sometimes called “trich” for short. There are an estimated 3.7 million people living with trich in the U.S. It often does not show any symptoms. Trich is usually not serious. Once diagnosed, it is easily cured with antibiotics.

Trich is caused by a tiny parasite (you cannot see it with the naked eye) called a trichomonas. It is transmitted when semen or vaginal fluids get on or inside the penis, vulva, or vagina.

Trich is often transmitted during vaginal sex but can also be passed by vulva-to-vulva contact, sharing sex toys, and touching one’s genitals or the genitals or the genitals of a sex partner if one has infected fluids on their hand. Trich can easily infect the vulva, vagina, penis, and urethra, but it usually does not infect other body parts (like the mouth or anus).

When used consistently and correctly, condoms protect against trich and many other STDs.

 

Like most STDs, trich often does not show any symptoms. The only way to know is to get tested.

When symptoms do appear it is usually three days to a month after infection and can be barely noticeable, or really painful and irritating. It is common for the symptoms to come and go, but that doesn’t mean the infection went away.

 

If trich does cause symptoms, the most common one is vaginitis, which is when the vulva or vagina is irritated. Signs of trich can also include irritation and itching, smelly discharge, or painful or frequent urination. Trich is very unlikely to cause symptoms in men.

There are different tests for trich. It can be as simple and easy as urinating in a cup. Some health providers might use a genital swab (like a big Q-tip) to take cell samples from the patient’s penis or vagina. The samples are then tested for trich.

 Trich can be easily cured with antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.

It is important to complete the full treatment, as prescribed by your healthcare provider, even if symptoms go away sooner. The infection stays in your body until you finish the antibiotics. Also, do not share your medicine with anyone or take someone else’s.

Some healthcare providers may give a separate dose of antibiotics for the patient’s partner(s) so neither party reinfexts each other or anyone else. Do not have sex until you’ve finished treatment.

Get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure the infection is gone and you were not re-exposed.

Trich is usually not serious and can be cured in most cases. But if you don’t get treated for trich, you can pass the infection to your partners – even if you don’t have symptoms.

If an individual has trich during pregnancy and does not treat it, the baby may be born early or at a low birth weight.

Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is a relatively common viral infection of the skin that results in round, firm, painless bumps ranging in size from a pinhead to a pencil eraser. If the bumps are scratched or injured, the infection can spread to surrounding skin. Molluscum contagiosum also spreads through person-to-person contact and contact with infected objects.

Though most common in children, molluscum contagiosum can affect adults as well — particularly those with weakened immune systems. In adults with an otherwise normal immune system, molluscum contagiosum involving the genitals is considered a sexually transmitted infection.

The bumps associated with molluscum contagiosum usually disappear within a year without treatment but doctor-assisted removal is also an option.

 

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of molluscum contagiosum include bumps on the skin that:

·         Are raised, round and flesh colored

·         Are small — typically under about 1/4 inch (smaller than 6 millimeters) in diameter

·         Characteristically have a small indentation (umbilication) or dot at the top near the center

·         Can become red and inflamed

·         May be itchy

·         Can be easily removed by scratching or rubbing, which can spread the virus to adjacent skin

·         Usually appear on the face, neck, armpits, arms and tops of the hands in children

·         May be seen on the genitals, lower abdomen and inner upper thighs in adults if the infection was sexually transmitted

When to see a doctor

If the individual suspects his or her your child has molluscum contagiosum, they should consult your primary care physician.

Causes

The virus that causes molluscum contagiosum spreads easily through:

·         Skin-to-skin contact

·         Contact with contaminated objects, such as towels

·         Sexual contact with an affected partner

·         Scratching or rubbing the bumps, which spreads the virus to nearby skin

It's not clear if the molluscum contagiosum virus can spread in the chlorinated water found in swimming pools. Experts suspect that it's more likely that swimmers transmit the virus through shared use of towels; equipment, such as kickboards; or skin contact.

Risk factors

More widespread molluscum contagiosis infections may occur in people with weakened immune systems.

Complications

The bumps and the skin around them may become red and inflamed. This is thought to be an immune response to the infection. If scratched, these bumps can become infected. If lesions appear on the eyelids, pink eye (conjunctivitis) can develop.

Prevention

To help prevent the spread of the virus:

·         Wash your hands. Keeping your hands clean can help prevent spreading the virus.

·         Avoid touching the bumps. Shaving over the infected areas also can spread the virus.

·         Don't share personal items. This includes clothing, towels, hairbrushes or other personal items. Refrain from borrowing these items from others as well.

·         Avoid sexual contact. If you have molluscum contagiosum on or near your genitals, don't have sex until the bumps are treated and have completely disappeared.

·         Cover the bumps. Cover the bumps with clothing when around others, to prevent direct contact. When swimming, cover the bumps with a watertight bandage.

 

Conclusion.

These are the big ten sexually treated diseases.  They are by no means all inclusive.  Different STD’s are more prevalent among certain socio-economic groups.

What is discouraging, in the information age, the problem of sexually transmitted diseases in our culture is worsening.  Read and weep.

 

Jan Ricks Jennings, MHA, LFACHE

Senior Consultant

Senior Management Resources, LLC

Jan.Jennings.@EagleTalons.net

JanJenningsBlog.Blogspot.com

412.913.0636 Cell

724.733.0509 Office

September 2, 2021

 

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