A person with a sexually-transmitted disease (STD) may avoid seeking medical care for a number of reasons. Failing to detect, treat and track any contagious illness can have negative impacts for the individual and community.
Reasons why a person with an STD may not seek medical therapy:
(1) not aware that they have an STD
(2) ignorance about the long-term hazards of untreated disease
(3) fear of the medical encounter
(4) fear of embarrassment and stigma
(5) fear of retribution from other sexual contacts when they are contacted during case followup
(6) fear of having AIDS
A person may be reluctant to seek treatment if the person is or has:
(1) an adolescent needing to inform his or her parents
(2) a spouse informing his or her marital partner
(3) a person in a small community
(4) a famous or prominent person
(5) a person who acquired the infection as a result of a taboo practice
(6) several sexual contacts whose relationships would make life awkward
A far more dangerous situation is the person who does not care that s/he has an infection and does not care how many people become infected from sexual contact.
It is important to educate people about sexually-transmitted diseases and the importance of seeking medical care if one is suspected.
