Refusing condoms boosts STDs among teens

By KORNRAWEE PANYASUPPAKUN 
THE NATION

 

File photo

 

LATEST STUDIES show that more and more teens and young adults have contracted sexually transmitted diseases (STD) partly because they have the wrong notion of trust.

 

“Even though I know condoms prevent STDs, I still wouldn’t ask my boyfriend to wear one,” a college student, who takes birth-control pills, said. “It feels better [without a condom] and we trust each other.”

 

However, the number of Thais aged 15 to 24 who have caught an STD has jumped over the past six years, statistics compiled by Department of Disease Control show. In just six years, the number of teens with STD infection has doubled from 80.8 to 161.2 per 1,000 people. 

 

The most common infections among them include gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia, chancroid and genital herpes.

 

“This is because they wrongly believe that not using a condom is a way to show they trust their partner,” Kanokwan Tharawan, manager of the Women’s Health Advocacy Foundation’s Healthy Sexuality Programme, said at a workshop on sexual wellbeing and teen pregnancy. 

The workshop was organised by the Women’s Health Advocacy Foundation (WHAF) in Chiang Mai. 

 

She said that teens are aware of the importance of condoms, but because they love their partners, they do not want to show they “distrust” them. 

 

The traditional belief in Thailand is that condoms are used by women whose partner is promiscuous. 

 

“Teenagers forget that using a condom is necessary,” Kittipong Saejeng, director of the Reproductive Health Bureau, said. Prophylactics such as pills, injections or implants can protect women from pregnancy, but not from sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/Aids or venereal disease. 

 

“Without condoms, girls are also more likely to contract the HPV virus and develop cervical cancer,” he warned.

 

The HPV vaccination does not provide complete protection from cervical cancer as it only covers 70 per cent of HPV strains. That’s another reason to use condoms, he said. 

 

A study conducted last year by the Department of Disease Control on sexually active Mathayom 5 students, aged 17 to 18, across the country showed that 80 per cent of boys and 79 per cent of girls used a prophylactic. However, when asked if they had used a condom the last time they had intercourse, only 76 per cent boys and 71 per cent girls said yes. 

 

“In order to tackle this problem, we need to think like them [teenagers]. We need to change their attitude. Using condoms does not mean that you love or trust your partner less,” Kanokwan said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30358554

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-15

There goes the last bit of western tourists...bye bye...

i think teens understand the risks of STD  and pregnancy, I put this solely on the males,who use pressure and promises on the females...

Real problem here, out in Issan. There is a mind boggling number of teenage pregnancies, or pregnancies occurring in young couples where the commitment of the male partner is zero. Before age 35 or 40 the local males are amazingly irresponsible dogs. I try to convince my girls that for a woman the first pregnancy shouldn't occur before 27/28, and that they should look for partners over 35, not Thai preferably. Anything other should be treated with condom + contraception, possibly abortion. Breaks my heart because I don't like condoms either.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

and we trust each other.

sure they trust each other to have sex, nevermind all the possible consequences

35 minutes ago, mok199 said:

i think teens understand the risks of STD  and pregnancy, I put this solely on the males,who use pressure and promises on the females...

The average Thai male lacks a paternity gene; condoms are to stop babies.  If one happens along, move on to next partner.

Over 16% have STD?!

That's just nasty!

Can ya blame 'em? 

The traditional belief in Thailand.....

 

Now there's the root to many of their problems...

Sure, seems like a growing problem but this is not some Thai issue.

USA:  Almost 900,000 abortions a year.  And, over one million "reports" of STD's.

Seems more are probably going raw then using a condom.

4 hours ago, fruitman said:

There goes the last bit of western tourists...bye bye...

Really?

It used to be two shots in the butt and pills for a week cured Cupid's measles. Some of the stuff that's out there now is deadly. Hormones suck, and not always in the GOOD way.

 

 

Considering the new laws disallowing students of the opposite sex to co-mingle 'inappropriately', perhaps a national STD database will identify students up to the ages of 24 who have STDs and issue arrest warrants and mandatory 're-education' for the offenders?

Okay, a new worldwide sex re-education campaign: uncovered oral sex is patriotic, healthy and fun for all. Intercourse is reserved for marriage. STD's down 99%.

Never understand why they feel like they need to reinvent the wheel, accurate studies about condoms have been around for decades. The girl interviewed in the article was on the pill and spoke of being in a trusting relationship - in a similar situation in any country most couples would then forgo condoms. The comments about HPV are also misleading, as this is an STD that can be spread with or without condoms, it's not confined to the area that's covered. Condom use is extremely important, but the examples they use make the wrong argument. 

Odd translation in the headline. "Boost" is a word that has positive connotations. I wouldn't say that increasing STDs quite fits into that category.

In other news, refusing food boosts starvation.

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 9:33 AM, bkk6060 said:

Sure, seems like a growing problem but this is not some Thai issue.

USA:  Almost 900,000 abortions a year.  And, over one million "reports" of STD's.

Seems more are probably going raw then using a condom.

Well fancy Thailand news concentrating on news in Thailand and not America. Who'd of thunk it.

On 11/16/2018 at 8:00 AM, lamyai3 said:

Never understand why they feel like they need to reinvent the wheel, accurate studies about condoms have been around for decades. The girl interviewed in the article was on the pill and spoke of being in a trusting relationship - in a similar situation in any country most couples would then forgo condoms. The comments about HPV are also misleading, as this is an STD that can be spread with or without condoms, it's not confined to the area that's covered. Condom use is extremely important, but the examples they use make the wrong argument. 

Agreed. 

There is now a vaccine to give kids pre-puberty to block HPV.

It is assumed now that almost every sexually active adult carries HPV (warts) whether it ever manifests or not. The problem with HPV is the link to ovarian cancers, have your lady partner do her annual Gyny checks if she is not doing so.

Herpes is is 'overrated', with many infected people never having an outbreak in their lives, the first outbreak is usually the most uncomfortable, and often, it never reappears, there will always be the unfortunate who suffer greatly, but generally, not.

The superbugs of Syph, Gonhorrhea, and Chlamydia (NSU) are worrying.

HIV has some pretty amazing and affordable drugs around these days to both protect, and reduce viral loads in the seroconverted, to zero.

I've rarely used condoms, suffered some consequences of course, but it was SO worth it!

No kids and had the snip since mid 40's

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by Small Joke

1 hour ago, berybert said:

Well fancy Thailand news concentrating on news in Thailand and not America. Who'd of thunk it.

Nothing wrong with making comparisons regrding a worldwide issue.  It is called thinking outside the box.

You should thunk about it...

On ‎11‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 11:15 AM, bkk6060 said:

Nothing wrong with making comparisons regrding a worldwide issue.  It is called thinking outside the box.

You should thunk about it...

Its called "it can't just be a Thai issue because I am more Thai than Thai people" 

Don't worry, its not a disease you suffer with alone.

On 11/17/2018 at 4:15 AM, bkk6060 said:

Nothing wrong with making comparisons regrding a worldwide issue.  It is called thinking outside the box.

 

Its called defending Thailand.  The Thai apologists will always chime in to any negative thread and make a comparison with another country.

when much younger we compared wearing condoms to taking a shower in a rain coat, luckily back then there was not a lot of std's around and no aids. These days its plain idiotic to not use them as the diseases are so prevalent, unfortunately many thai girls( and boys) have a simplistic attitude believing their partners love them only and will not stray. Maybe they need to talk to all those older females that found out thai men are butterflies whether they are  married or single, too late when you start putting on weight and buns are in the oven, there goes their future chances

Edited November 18, 20187 yr by seajae

Well, the only explanation is that at least one of the two partners (usually the male) also has sex with other people, and also without condoms. The other people can also well be prostitutes.