Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a huge healthcare concern among adults worldwide and can cause increases in healthcare costs and complications in affected individuals. Several STDs, such as hepatitis B and human papillomavirus, can be prevented through pre-exposure vaccinations while vaccines for other STDs are currently being explored. Even with the widespread availability of certain vaccines, the prevalence of vaccinated individuals remains low. The low rate of vaccination can be attributed to access to recommended care and lack of education for both providers and patients. Many patients have not heard of vaccine-preventable STDs and its related vaccines but are willing to receive vaccinations if the government recommends patients to receive vaccinations and if the vaccine is easily accessible. Some studies have also shown a significant correlation between the individuals level of education and vaccination rates. Increasing awareness and education to providers regarding their role on vaccine-preventable STDs also increased the rate of vaccinated patients. If STDs are not treated appropriately, it can lead to significant health problems such as advanced infectious complications, organ dysfunction and in some cases, cancer. By appropriately informing patients about STDs and vaccination schedules, these complications can be avoided. This presentation outlines the importance of vaccines in the setting of STDs, interventions used to increase vaccination rates and the significance of provider interaction when educating patients.

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