http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/health/women/will-women-use-microbicides.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/women/will-women-use-microbicides.html Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:52:08 -0500
Lead researcher Kathleen Morrow states that while the findings may seem obvious, "they are important because science has very little direct evidence of what characteristics and situations in women's lives would make them more likely to want to use a microbicide to prevent HIV infection." She goes on to say that even if a microbicide was proven to be effective in preventing HIV infection, if a woman felt that it diminished the sexual experience or was too difficult to use, that woman would choose not to use it, despite the obvious benefits. Along with Morrow, researchers devised a scale called "Willingness to Use Microbicides." This scale was a questionnaire which was administered to over 500 women hailing from New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. These women were all between the ages of 18 and 55, not currently pregnant, not infected with HIV (or status unknown) and sexually active within the year. Examples of questions include whether or not the woman would consider purchasing the Trojan Vibrating Touch fingertip massager and whether or not a woman would buy a microbicide if its cost was comparable to that of a condom. Many variables were considered including household income, race, condom and spermicide usage and number of partners, to name a few.

The study showed those women who frequently used condoms and/or spermicide in the past as well as those women who did not have one single partner were more likely to use the microbicide, if available. Morrow states, "How a woman defines or labels her sexual partnership appears to have an impact on her decision-making process with regard to protecting herself from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases." The researchers made an interesting observation that many women who were currently in monogamous relationships did not perceive a need to use extra protection; however, it is a known fact that around the world, women who contract HIV are more likely to get it from the man they feel is their monogamous sexual partner (in most cases, a husband). Because of this, Morrow suggests that it is crucial all women, including those women who are in "monogamous" relationships, be educated on the different prevention methods they can use. Morrow and her colleagues wish to further refine the study to include more variables as well as a more diverse and global study base.

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Durex, Astroglide Strawberry, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy the Best Condoms Online from Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/lifestyle/hiv-infection-rates-are-skyrocketing-throughout-china.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/lifestyle/hiv-infection-rates-are-skyrocketing-throughout-china.html Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:46:37 -0500
According to Beijing's Health Ministry, in one year from 2006 to 2007, the HIV infection rate in China increased by a dramatic 45%. Chinese health officials have chalked up this rapid increase to an ever-changing societal attitude and technology in regards to collecting data about infection rates. In 2006, the Chinese government reported over 650,000 cases of HIV infection which skyrocketed to over 700,000 in late 2007. In addition, the cases of syphilis reported rose almost 25% in one year. This does not take into consideration the increase in other sexually transmitted diseases which the ministry did not speak on. Many HIV infection experts agree that this dramatic increase is a direct result of lack of sexual education and a fear that the poor Chinese population holds about seeking help for this type of infection.

In the United States where AIDS awareness is at an all-time high and information about how the disease is spread is widely known, it is strange and scary to consider that just a few years ago, the Chinese felt that AIDS only struck those foreign to China and that sharing utensils and having hand-to-hand contact could spread the disease. It is no wonder the disease has infected so many in China when vital details of AIDS and AIDS infection have been concealed. One spokesperson for the Beijing Health Ministry says, "It's been hard over the years to discover the number of AIDS patients because of the social stigma."

The United Nations has strongly warned the Chinese government that if extreme measures are not taken to promote HIV/AIDS education to the public, by 2010, over 10 million people will become infected with the virus. In addition, while HIV has spread due to sexual workers; lacking money to buy condoms, citizens use unsafe sex and infected needles. This is due to the unrestrained and extremely unsanitary blood banks that receive contaminated blood from rural areas.

In some public areas, progress has been made. In 2003, Premier Wen Jiabao made headlines by shaking hands with patients infected with HIV, something that went against the Chinese social stigma. The current Chinese president, Hu Jintao, also uses opportunities to hug AIDS patients in order to alert the Chinese populace of outdated stigmas against HIV. Despite this, however, a survey offered by the Beijing Health ministry reported that more than half of those educated Chinese residing in the city still felt they would be quite nervous to have any kind of contact with those people infected with HIV.

It is obvious that many social stigmas concerning HIV will still need to be addressed and fixed. To do this, the Health Ministry has begun a television campaign that endorses the use of condoms for safe sex. In a country where speaking of sex publicly is still regarded as indecent, this is a huge stride. In addition, the ministry is targeting China's millions of migrant workers by offering them seminars that teach facts about how HIV is spread and that also endorse consistent and effective condom use. The government has also stepped up to the plate. In 2006, they declared that no organization can discriminate against any person suffering from AIDS; in addition, any person who is battling AIDS will receive treatment free of charge.

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Durex, Trojan, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/drastic-rise-in-std-rates-in-mobile-county.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/drastic-rise-in-std-rates-in-mobile-county.html Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:35:31 -0500
In 2006, Mobile County in Alabama became an example of this scenario. In a county of just over 400,000, there were 4,629 reports of new episodes of syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. According to both federal and statewide statistics on sexually transmitted diseases, this number of new cases can also be stated as 1 out of every 87 people in Mobile County. What seems more alarming is the fact that this rate is two times more than the rate in Washington, D.C. and three times more than the rate in New York City. Despite these rates, health officials have stated that these levels have not reached epidemic proportions, so there is no need to panic. Paul Piepho, a program manager of disease intervention in Mobile County states, "If you don't do this for a living or you're not an OB specialist or you're not an infectious disease specialist, and you look at the numbers, you go, 'Oh my God.' We're not at that point."

Specifically, the number of cases of chlamydia has gone from just over 500 cases reported in 1994 to over 22,500 cases reported in 2006. Across the state, the number of cases of syphilis went from 583 to 931 cases in just one year. Many experts in the health industry have pointed to a lack of sex education as a main reason for these skyrocketing rates. As a rule, Alabama schools believe strongly in a curriculum of sex education based solely on abstinence. Thus, students in public schools are taught that the only way to protect oneself against HIV, AIDS, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is through abstinence. They are not taught how to use condoms. There is no part of the curriculum that focuses on having safe sex with condoms as an alternative for those who are already having sexual relations. Those in the highest-risk group, young adults between the ages of 15 to 29 "think they're invincible or they have no knowledge or they don't care or 'It's something that's going to happen to that person, but not to me,'" according to Monica Knight, the director of the bureau of disease control in Mobile County.

State officials also strongly believe that those counties with a large percentage of the population living below the poverty level have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases. As an example, Baldwin County that has only 10 percent of its population claiming poverty status has one of Alabama's lowest sexually transmitted disease rates. On the flip side, Hale County that has almost a quarter of its population living in poverty had the highest sexually transmitted disease rates. These officials also believe that rates have increased overall due to testing measures of sexually transmitted diseases becoming more advanced. According to Victor Creagh the disease intervention manager in Baldwin County, "Before about two or three years ago, we were not even able to do chlamydia testing on males."

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms and id glide, Durex condoms, Trojan, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy the Best Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/science/biology/reducing-hiv-levels-across-the-world.html http://www.articletrader.com/science/biology/reducing-hiv-levels-across-the-world.html Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:22:04 -0600
Those researchers participating in this study for three years were optimistic that by targeting the men and women involved in the sex industry, the rates of infections in the entire community could be lowered. A reason for this is that sex workers who spend much of their time prospecting at bars are a prime reason HIV infection rates are so high throughout the community. In targeting these women and men, the researchers felt an impact on the community as a whole would be made.

In addition to the condom distribution and clinical services, this initiative went a step further by offering loans that were interest-free to female sex workers along with training in the management of small businesses. The reason for this is so these sex workers could learn skills that would stop them from being financially dependent on the sex trade. Despite these efforts geared towards the female sex workers, only male participants in this study saw any benefit: decrease in rates of HIV infection, fewer symptoms of STD's and a lower rate of unprotected sex.

Many researchers in this study feel this initiative proved to be largely unsuccessful because of financial reasons. The male participants in the study were impacted more because they started using condoms more efficiently and consistently and may have stopped visiting sex workers. Female participants, despite loans and training, may have found it difficult if not impossible to find any other means of making money. Some female sex workers may also have taken an increased payout from clients who did not want to use the condoms provided.

A lead researcher of the initiative, Dr. Gregson, had this to say about the disappointing results: “Targeting smaller high-risk groups didn't have the effect we had hoped and in addition, we weren’t able to reduce the incidence of HIV in women in a way we had anticipated. We wanted to reduce women’s reliance on sex work through our micro-credit scheme but this did not work, partly because of the sharp economic downturn in Zimbabwe.” He also states that the initiative would have proved much more successful if it targeted a larger population and if it had focused more on skills training that would impact the entire community and help to stem poverty.

For more information visit: Zimbabwe: Failure in Reduction of HIV Levels

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Durex, Trojan, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/have-you-tried-crown-condoms-yet.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/have-you-tried-crown-condoms-yet.html Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Crown condoms and all of the other condoms made by Okamoto condoms are different from many other brands of condoms because they are made with a material called Sheerlon. Sheerlon is a more advanced type of material that is durable and strong, yet is thinner than latex condoms. Sheerlon is also silkier feeling than latex, which produces a more natural feel that is actually more like skin.

You might feel nervous about buying Crown condoms, but they undergo stringent tests just like condoms made in the United States. In fact, the company adheres to all of the same safety standards as required by United States manufacturers. If they didn’t, they would not be able to sell their condoms in the states. So, it is worth checking out Crown condoms or any of the other condoms manufactured by Okamoto if you haven’t already.

In addition to the very popular Crown condoms, Okamoto also manufactures Beyond Seven condoms, which are commonly referred to simply as B-7. Beyond Seven condoms are different from Crown condoms because you can purchase them in textured varieties. Crown condoms, on the other hand, focus mostly on being thin and feeling natural. Both Crown condoms and Beyond Seven condoms are lubricated with water-based lubricants, which means you may need to add additional lubrication in order to have the most pleasing sexual experience.

Beyond its Crown condoms, Okamoto also has Spermicidal condoms that contain Spermicidal Nonoxynol-9. You need to be careful with Spermicidal condoms, however, because Spermicidal can sometimes be irritating to the skin. Some women are actually allergic to Spermicidal agents, so be certain to discuss the use of these condoms with your partner. In addition, keep in mind that Spermicidal agents are only proven to kill sperm, but are not proven to kill germs that are responsible for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Unlike other lines of Okamoto condoms, Crown condoms are available in different colors. Colors that are currently available include red, yellow, blue, and green. Crown condoms also come with a reservoir tip, so you don’t have to worry about leaving a little extra space at the tip.

Although they are made with Sheerlon, Crown condoms and other lines of Okamoto condoms still should be treated like latex condoms. This means you need to store them in a cool, dry place and you need to avoid exposing your Crown condoms to direct sunlight. In addition, you will still need to stay clear of oil-based lubricants because oils can still break down the Sheerlon material, which will cause the condoms to be less effective.

If you think you want to give Okamoto condoms a try but you aren’t sure if you want to try Crown condoms or Beyond Seven condoms, we do offer an Okamoto variety pack here at CondomMan. So, give them all a try and find out which one is your favorite!

For more information visit: Have You Given Crown Condoms a Try?

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Durex, Trojan, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/medicine/large-disease-exposure-in-nevada.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/medicine/large-disease-exposure-in-nevada.html Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500 All patients who have undergone procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada clinic are being advised that they should use condoms when engaging in sexual activity. They have been advised to use condoms until such time as they have been tested and told that they have not contracted any one of the diseases mentioned previously in this article. Health officials began investigating the endoscopy center in early January after learning of three people who had been diagnosed with hepatitis C, a chronic, potentially lethal blood-borne virus that can cause liver cancer and liver failure.
Health care officials have made it perfectly clear that it is important for these individuals to use condoms in the interim to make sure that their partners are not exposed to the prospect of contracting these diseases. Condoms provide the best line of defense against the spread of these diseases in these circumstances.
According to health care professionals and disease control experts, the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada is a high-volume gastrointestinal practice where colonoscopies are frequently performed. Reuse of syringes and vials at the facility was a "common practice" undertaken by everyone from doctors to technicians, health officials said. The business was investigated for other unsafe practices such as not properly cleaning endoscopic equipment used in colonoscopies and upper gastrointestinal procedures.
"Las Vegas has the dubious distinction of having the largest patient notification of its kind, one involving the reuse of syringes and consequent spread of disease,” said Joseph Perz. Prez is an epidemiologist with the federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and has been involved in the Nevada investigations and notifications. Perz said, he was stunned by the magnitude of what happened in Las Vegas. "It certainly is unsettling to think of the scope of this,'' Perz said. "Let's not forget the impact on people when they receive the notification letter. A lot of people are going to lose sleep.'' He also emphasized the importance of safe sex practices using condoms during this investigation and testing of the patients involved.

For more information visit: Largest Disease Exposure Notification Initiated in Nevada

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Durex, Trojan, Lifestyles and Beyond Seven condoms for the best prices online. Buy Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/getting-to-know-lifestyles-condoms.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/getting-to-know-lifestyles-condoms.html Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Although Lifestyles condoms are so well known, most people don’t know that they are actually manufactured by Ansell Limited. Ansell Limited, which used to be known as Pacific Dunlap Limited, specializes in all types of healthcare barrier products. In addition to making Lifestyles condoms, Ansell also makes Mates Condoms, Manix Condoms, Kama Sutra Condoms, and Contempo Condoms. They also make a variety of different types of surgical gloves, all of which need to provide a barrier to protect people from transmitting germs.

Ultra Sensitive Lifestyles condoms are one of the more popular lines because these condoms are specifically designed with a contour shape and are designed to fit and feel natural. Another option of Lifestyles condoms that will help to heighten sensitivity is the Ultra Thin line. These condoms are 21% thinner than other Lifestyles condoms, but they are still durable. In addition, they are made with special latex that is stretchable, which helps to reduce the amount of stress being placed on the condom.

Although many Lifestyles condoms come with lubrication, there is also a line that is specially lubricated for even less friction. Lifestyles Lubricated condoms are made from latex and are talc-free. They also contain a reservoir tip and a flared shape in order to add to the sensation. If you are looking for a good, tight fit, on the other hand, you might want to try Snugger Fit Lifestyles condoms. These condoms are made to fit like a glove, which helps to improve sensitivity while also providing you with the maximum amount of safety.

Lifestyles condoms manufactures many different types of condoms that are made specifically for helping increase pleasure. His n’Her Pleasure condoms, for example, have an oversized tip to increase the amount of pleasure for the man, but they also have ribbing to help increase the pleasure for the woman. Dual Pleasure condoms are specially shaped as well. This line of Lifestyles condoms provides 15% more headroom and a special shape that makes it feel great for both the man and the woman. These condoms are also made with stretchable latex in order to reduce the stress on the condom while making sure it fits just right.

If you are looking for a great condom, Lifestyles condoms delivers once again with its Kiss of Mint line. This line of Lifestyles condoms is made without lubrication and doesn’t have the typical latex smell and taste. In fact, it has a touch of minty taste that makes it a whole lot easier to stay safe while enjoying oral sex.

Regardless of the style of Lifestyles condoms you use, you can take comfort in knowing that your safety comes first. All of the condoms are tested three times in order to make sure they are reliable and meet standards established by the United States.

For more information visit: Getting to Know Lifestyles Condoms

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Lifestyles condoms, Durex, Trojan and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy the Best Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/condom-use-and-the-spread-of-sexually-transmitted-diseases.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/condom-use-and-the-spread-of-sexually-transmitted-diseases.html Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The net results of the study demonstrate that even with consistent use, condoms cannot prevent sexually transmitted diseases in all instances. However, condoms still remain the best line of defense short of abstinence when it comes to preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The bottom line of the study was that the spread of sexually transmitted disease depends not only on consistent condom use but correct condom use.

The study actually involved 26,291 homosexual men, heterosexual men and heterosexual women who visited the University of Colorado's clinic in Denver over a two year period of time. Interestingly, only thirteen percent of this group of over 26,000 people indicated that they use condoms consistently.

The participants in the study indicated that the heterosexual men reported thirteen sexual partners throughout their lifetimes, homosexual men reported thirty sexual partners over their lifetimes and the heterosexual women reported seven sexual partners over the course of their lifetimes.

The same study reported that fifty-seven percent of the women involved reported condom error, forty-eight percent of the heterosexual men reported condom error and thirty-three percent of the homosexual men reported condom error as well.

For heterosexual men, according to the study, condom mishaps increased their chances of contracting gonorrhea by 5.5 times and chlamydia by 3.2 times. In addition, these same men ran a risk of contracting a urinary tract infection as the result of a condom mishap by two hundred percent.

In the final analysis, three factors need to be emphasized as a result of this comprehensive study. First, the only sure defense (no matter how unrealistic) against the transmission of sexually transmitted disease is abstinence. Second, while condoms are the best line of defense against sexually transmitted disease, condoms are not one hundred percent effective in this regard. Third, in order to be of maximum effect in the fight against sexually transmitted disease, condoms must be used consistently and correctly.

If you have any more additional questions about condoms, sexually transmitted disease and your sexual habits, you should consult with a qualified health care professional. You need to remember that making sure you are well educated about condoms and sexually transmitted disease can make the difference between life and death in the final analysis.

For more information visit: Condom Use and the Spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand wholesale condoms like Durex, Trojan condoms, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Shop at Condom Man's Online Condom Store. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/dating/safe-sex-education-in-the-uk.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/dating/safe-sex-education-in-the-uk.html Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
While sex ed is mandatory, until recently, the focus was all very scientific and biological: the curriculum consisted of learning about the reproductive system, how a fetus develops during pregnancy, and the changes that take place during puberty and adolescence. Whether to teach about contraception and safe sex is left up to the schools to decide. As it is, many schools do offer more than the requirements; however, many teachers are not trained to properly teach about sexual materials. In addition, school legislation requires that teachers must inform parents if their children ask about birth control. In a survey done, many students were found to be angry about how sex ed is taught, as they feel what they learned focused purely on the mechanics, and that they were denied from learning about more explicit material.

Starting in 2005 though, new guidelines were given to sex ed teachers, encouring them to focus their teaching around relationships instead of biology. These guidelines, which are part of a teaching package called the PSHE, are not mandatory though, and many pro-informative sex ed campaigners have said that this type of sex ed won't be improved until it becomes mandatory. Teachers are encouraged to use examples from teen magazines in their lessons as well. These new guidelines are expected to help cut down on teen pregnancy rates by providing teens with more information than they received before and helping to prevent them from receiving mixed messages about relationships and sex. However, other reasons given for the high teen pregnancy rate such as poverty and girls with teen mothers being more likely to be teen mothers themselves have yet to be addressed.

In a recently done trial study, teachers in 104 schools taught their students about trying other types of physical intimacy like oral sex instead of having sexual intercourse. The emphasis of this course was to teach teenagers to be more assertive in insisting how far they want to go sexually, and for them to learn safer alternatives to sex. The trial was a success, as the number of teens having full sexual intercourse fell by 20% in those schools. All of this seems to indicate that though the teen pregnancy rate is still very high and relationship-based sex ed isn't mandatory, the UK does seem to be somewhat on the right track when it comes to teaching about safe sex.

For more information visit: Safe Sex Education in the UK

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Durex condoms, Trojan, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy the Best Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/do-climax-control-condoms-really-work.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/men/do-climax-control-condoms-really-work.html Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
In studies on the subject, about thirty percent of men complain that they feel they have a problem with premature ejaculation. Some of these men have turned to climax control condoms as a means of assisting them in dealing with this issue.

Both Trojan and Durex offer climax control condoms that contain Benzocaine. Indeed, other condom manufacturers are likewise following suit by bringing out similar types of products to the marketplace at the present point in time.

For example, Trojan condoms has sold upwards to 30,000,000 Extended Pleasure condoms since introducing them onto the market. Extended Pleasure Trojan condoms are now the fifth best selling brand in the United States. This line of Trojan condoms costs about $1.00 more than traditional condoms that are being sold today, including other Trojan condoms.

Durex introduced its climax control condoms onto the market after Trojan. Sales of the Durex brand are taking off dramatically as well.

The process of numbing the penis to extend sexual intercourse is not a new development. Prior to these climax control condoms, consumers utilized creams and sprays in an effort to prolong intercourse and to enhance climax control.

Of course, it is important that the primary purposes of condoms are birth control and the prevention of disease. While climax control is a solid benefit, in the end it is important to maintain the focus on the primary purposes for condoms ... birth control and disease prevention.

If you want more specific information about climax control condoms, you will want to visit with your health care professional. You will want to make certain that the inability to achieve an appropriately delayed ejaculation can be the result of a medical condition in isolated instances. Therefore, if you find that nothing seems to work for you when it comes to climax control, you also will want to raise this issue with a health care professional.

For more information visit: Climax Control Condoms Really Work

--
CondomMan.com is a leading online retailer of condoms, selling name brand condoms like Performax condoms, Trojan, Lifestyles and Crown condoms for the best prices online. Buy the Best Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn how to put on a condom, how to choose the right condom for you, and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>