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Family planning counseling should
include
basic information on STD prevention
- Assessing risk factors (multiple partners, STD symptoms,
age, marital status)
- Building skills to reduce risk (improve partner
communication, empower women in relationships)
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Another important area to discuss with clients is STDs. In
many parts of the world, due to the STD/HIV epidemic, all family
planning counseling should include basic information on prevention
of STDs. Education is essential to help clients understand that
certain sexual behaviors increase the risk of STD transmission
and that condoms are the only method that protects against STDs.
Counseling is often necessary to help clients assess their
risk for STDs. A person with multiple sexual partners who is
not using condoms is clearly at risk. Some women or men may
be at risk without knowing it because their partner has multiple
partners. People whose partners have STD symptoms are at risk.
Other variables, such as young age and being unmarried, may
be risk factors if the client is sexually active.
Counseling helps clients acquire the skills needed to reduce
the risk of acquiring STDs. With some clients, family planning
counselors may need to discuss such issues as improving partner
communication and ways to empower women within relationships.
These steps can help clients change aspects of their lives that
put them at risk for STDs.
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