Study shows swingers have higher STD rate than prostitutes

[highlander 21]

This article is from Reuters(I think the article has real problems-and address that later on):

 

Disease Risk Higher for Swingers than Prostitutes

 

Quote

Scientists studying swingers -- straight couples who regularly swap sexual partners and indulge in group sex at organized meeting -- say they have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than prostitutes.

 

Dutch researchers publishing their work in the British Medical Journal showed that older swingers -- those over the age of 45 -- are particularly vulnerable and yet are a group largely ignored by healthcare services.

 

With estimates that the swinger population could be many millions across the world, the scientists said there was a risk this untreated group could act as an STI "transmission bridge to the entire population."

 

There are some problems with this study.

a) Prostitution in the Netherlands is regulated and licensed. Regular exams are not mandatory legally-but most brothels require them monthly and they are covered by national health care.

 

b) this "study" was looking at folks that sought help from an STI/STD clinic-it was NOT a representative study of the straight, gay, swinger and prostitute populations.

 

At this point, doctors have NOT been encouraging more frequent STD testing among swingers. What that means is that Swingers typically get tested 1 time per year-just like the general population-or when they notice something that might be an STD symptom--so the sample of swingers seeking testing is different than the sample of prostitutes seeking testing. I think the official recommendation for testing among prostitutes is something like monthly(also, I would expect a much higher rate of std's among the population of prostitutes that neglect monthly exams compared to the general population).

 

The study _does_ suggest that more frequent STD testing of the general population is in order-and possibly that investigation of more frequent testing for swingers may be in order. AIM Healthcare foundation (AIM Healthcare - Home) has instituted a monthly testing regime for adult film actors-and they report a rate of STD's significantly below the general population as a result(even though many porn actors are considerably more sexually active than many swingers). Other studies have suggested that swingers have a lower rate of STD's than the general population-and are more likely to see help when they get an STD. I can believe also that they are less likely than the general population to have "false positives"(i.e. seek help from an STD clinic when they really have some other problem).

 

The thing is, this study _will_ be used by folks to attempt to do stuff like shut down swinger clubs. I think it is in the interest of swingers to consider options for addressing these issues preemptively.

[shymxcpl 71]

Did someone forget to wear a condom?

[realcplub2 513]

And of course CNN bastardized it ... I saw it go across the crawl and pulled it up.. Study: Older folks swinging their way to STDs – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

[CandLinPC 92]

"Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics."

[realcplub2 513]

That is a given... I would urge everyone here to help correct the misconception.

 

I commented under the name Reality check.

[C@YWMI 15]

I think we might be missing something here folks. If postitution is legal in the netherlands, the state would have control of the prostitutes like frequent checkups and condoms would be required. Not like the general public that don't have these rules so I can see why swingers or individuals would be more likely to have std's. But here in the USA I think it would be safer to have sex with the general public not with illegal prostitutes.

[bbarnsworth 2,652]

I think we might be missing something here folks. If postitution is legal in the netherlands, the state would have control of the prostitutes like frequent checkups and condoms would be required. Not like the general public that don't have these rules so I can see why swingers or individuals would be more likely to have std's. But here in the USA I think it would be safer to have sex with the general public not with illegal prostitutes.

 

Yep. The 'study' might apply to the Netherlands. Elsewhere? Useless.

 

Of note; _legal_ prostitutes in Nevada have not had a case of HIV since they started frequent testing in 1987. Regular testing and careful management makes a huge difference.

[WesternSwing 504]

Those who've mentioned the study might include cheaters may be right. I haven't seen the actual study, in fact you have to pay to get a copy, but Cory Silverberg of About.com has and he commented this:

 

When an individual comes to one of the free clinics for testing they are asked about swinging. Specifically, if they identify themselves as heterosexual, as being part of a couple, and as having sex with other heterosexuals, they're tagged as swingers.

 

So it would appear as though anyone in a heterosexual non-monogamous relationship, whether consensual for everyone involved or not, is tagged a "swinger" in this study.

 

Something else supporting the cheater theory is that the percentage of "swingers" in the study is more than 10-times the percentage of swingers compared to general population in other studies.

[highlander 21]

Yep. The 'study' might apply to the Netherlands. Elsewhere? Useless.

 

Of note; _legal_ prostitutes in Nevada have not had a case of HIV since they started frequent testing in 1987. Regular testing and careful management makes a huge difference.

 

This claim is a little tricky because of the way Nevada handles testing. Prostitutes in legal brothels are tested weekly for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea-and monthly for Syphilis and HIV. If they show up positive for anything, they have to quit working in legal brothels until they can present a clean bill of health. . A high percentage of cases of heterosexual transmission of HIV also involve some other STD. There is no mandatory followup testing unless a lady wants to go back to work--and there is no reason for her to take the test that would be reported to her employer and the state authorities unless her doctor has already told her she will pass the test administered by the brothel's doctor.

 

Also, turnover in Nevada brothels is rather high. A lot of women don't work there long enough for monthly testing to reliably show up recently acquired HIV. Also, in many brothels, the women are required to live on premises. If a lady works there for 8 weeks, goes back home for 8 weeks and then comes back and tests positive, it isn't obvious she would be counted as someone that acquired HIV on her job-rather someone that was _applying_ for a job as a prostitute and was disqualified.

 

I honestly think that Nevada prostitution is fairly safe for the customers. I question just how safe is really is for the women involved-and how honest the brothels really are in reporting their statistics(remember, we are talking a place where Bugsy Siegal was a founding father). I really doubt they have HIV+ prostitutes working in their brothels. However, I would take their statistics with a grain of salt. Statistically, I'd expect we'd have 3-4 cases of HIV related to prostitution in Nevada-even if everything went right. That is a small enough number to cover up. It is also small enough we probably don't have any infected customers that are likely to complain.