Study shows swingers have higher STD rate than prostitutes

[JustAskJulie]

Disease risk higher for swingers than prostitutes | Reuters

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.

During the study period, there were just under 9,000 consultations at the three clinics. One in nine of the patients was a swinger, with an average age of 43.

Overall, combined rates of Chlamydia and gonorrhea were just over 10 percent among straight people, 14 percent among gay men, just under 5 percent in female prostitutes, and 10.4 percent among swingers, they found. And female swingers had higher infection rates than male swingers.

One in 10 older swingers had Chlamydia and around one in 20 had gonorrhea.

[two4youinswva]

The Dutch study analyzed the numbers of patients seeking treatment in 2007 and 2008 at three sexual health clinics in South Limburg in the Netherlands.

I don't think this would play out the same way in the states. I believe the Dutch have a highly regulated sex industry, where the workers are screened fairly often. Mandatory condom use with prostitutes probably drives their infection rates down.

I would say the rate of infection among prostitutes in the states is much higher than the Netherlands.

[Chicup]

While your point is very good two4you I do not find this study very shocking. My only question would be how many cheating married people would use 'swinger' as a cover for their STD, but even so I think STD's are under reported in swinging.

[lookingfornow]

Originally Posted by JustAskJulie

[from the article:] Overall, combined rates of Chlamydia and gonorrhea were just over 10 percent among straight people, 14 percent among gay men, just under 5 percent in female prostitutes, and 10.4 percent among swingers, they found. And female swingers had higher infection rates than male swingers.

So, the conclusion to be drawn is that swingers (in the Netherlands) are just about as likely to have a STI as (non-swinger) straight people (in the Netherlands), both of which groups are just over twice as likely to have a STI as are legalized, regulated, and frequently tested female prostitutes (in the Netherlands). Is anyone surprised by this result?

[Chicup]

Ok I'm embarrassed, I missed the 10% average thing, yea I guess they just wanted to use swingers in the title to get people to read it.

[bbarnsworth]

Overall, combined rates of Chlamydia and gonorrhea were just over 10 percent among straight people, 14 percent among gay men, just under 5 percent in female prostitutes,

So we could just as well re-write the headline to read "STUDY SHOWS STRAIGHT PEOPLE TWICE AS LIKELY AS PROSTITUTES TO HAVE STD

<cough>

Context. Context.

Originally Posted by two4youinswva

I would say the rate of infection among prostitutes in the states is much higher than the Netherlands.

I read something fairly recently that noted STD rates among New Jersey prostitutes was over 50%. Ah, here it is (search for "57%"). So, could we have another headline saying "STUDY SHOWS NEW JERSEY PROSTITUTES SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE STDs THAN SWINGERS?

This is just horrible reporting. Nothing new to see here; just more bad mouthing of the swinger community by ignorant journalists looking to sell papers.

[cplnuswing]

Originally Posted by Chicup

I guess they just wanted to use swingers in the title to get people to read it.

Something more accurate like Disease risk lower for prostitutes than other groups just doesn't have the same ring to it I guess

Also note how as swingers we get our results reported to a tenth of a percentage point in the article so we can more decisively beat out the straight people at "just over 10 percent" when I would bet about anything that if one read the actual results as presented in the journal there was no statistically significant difference between those two groups.

Maybe the anti-sex crowd in the U.S. will read and study these results and incorporate it into a new slogan and marketing campaign -

Abstinence works every time. But if you must, hire a hooker!

[prometheius]

I believe very little that comes from main stream media, (propoganda) news. Dissinformation is a means to an end.

[VegasLee]

They could have really got some good response and readership if they had used:

Church Going straight people have STD rate twice that of Hookers!

That reporter missed the boat with that headline. She is telling the world what they all think anyway. My title would have been breaking news around the world.

[highlander]

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

Disease Risk Higher for Swingers than Prostitutes

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]

Disease risk higher for swingers than prostitutes

Did someone forget to wear a condom?

[realcplub2]

And of course CNN bastardized it ... I saw it go across the crawl and pulled it up.. Here

[CandLinPC]

"Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics."

[bbarnsworth]

Originally Posted by realcplub2

And of course CNN bastardized it ... I saw it go across the crawl and pulled it up.. Here

And you're surprised? CNN - Crappy News Network.

I haven't watched CNN in years, and won't.

[realcplub2]

Thats a given... I would urge everyone here to help correct the mis conception

I commented under the name Reality check