Health Awareness Services

1-800-637-5466
(508) 753-0800

Sexually Transmitted Infections:  Screening and Treatment

 

A sexually transmitted infection (STI) is spread from person to person through sexual contact, exchange of bodily fluids, blood or sharing sex toys. Any intimate contact that involves the penis, vagina, mouth or anus can transmit disease. Some STI’s, such as HIV or Hepatitis B & C can also be transmitted by sharing needles (blood).  Health Awareness Family Planning clinics offer a wide range of STI screening.  HIV counseling and testing is offered through the HIV/AIDS Client Services.

Health Awareness Services participates in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Infertility Prevention Project (IPP). This project is focused on detecting, treating and reducing chlamydia infections. Chlamydia is a very common sexually transmitted infection that frequently has no symptoms and can cause infertility (inability to have children if you want to), for this reason it is often referred to as a “silent epidemic”. Click on www.jsi.com/ipp to get more information about chlamydia and the Infertility Prevention Project.

The use of a condom with every act of intercourse can help reduce your risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection.

Did you know there are two types of condoms? The male condom (goes over erect penis) and the female condom (inserted into the vagina). Male and female condoms are free at Health Awareness Services family planning clinic locations.

GLBT Community friendly

Related Links

http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/factsheets/factsheets.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/std
http://www.cdc.gov/std/healthcomm/fact_sheets.htm
http://www.iwannaknow.org
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds
http://www.ashastd.org
http://westoverheights.com/freebook.html (this links you to a free informational book on Herpes)

For information on HPV, including the new vaccine: http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm