Salt Lake Valley Health Department
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STI/HIV Prevention Program
STI/HIV Prevention
(385) 468-4242
STI/HIV Prevention
Sexual activity is a leading risk factor for acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STI), including HIV.
The health department encourages any person who begins sexual activity to meet with an STI/HIV counselor in order to develop a personalized plan on how to remain sexually healthy.
The following is a list of options for reducing your risk for acquiring an infection through sexual activity:
- Abstinence
- Monogamy: discuss what this means with your partner.
- Condoms: using condoms appropriately reduces the risk of acquiring an STI by almost 100%. The SLVHD offers free condoms to anyone who requests them.
- Communication: talk to your partner about their sexual history and when they were last tested.
- Reduce your number of sexual partners: do not have multiple partners in the same time period.
- Do not have sex while impaired: anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs is more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors. Alcohol and drugs are one of the most common reasons that people modify their behaviors related to sexual activity and increase their risk of acquiring an STI.
- Mutual masturbation: this does allow for transmission of bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, however the risk is lower than it is during unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse.
- Don’t assume: don’t ever assume a partner would tell you if they had an infection. Most people who are diagnosed with an STI report that they always “knew” their partners so they thought that they were being safe.