"Sex in the City" and STD

[Teallaura]

The following quiz is not scientific. It is based on my professional knowledge of the different diseases, their behavior, prevalence and the demographics of infection for each.

It is also based on the following assumptions regarding the show:
1) Each woman has had more than one sex partner in the past 12 months.
2) Each woman is white, middle or upper class.
3) At least one woman is highly promiscuous with more than 12 partners within the last 12 months.
4) All four women use condoms sporadically. This assumption is based on the common practice of ceasing to use condoms when a relationship is established and of the highly promiscuous to tend to forego condoms if they are not convenient/available.
5) All four women believe that they are not at high risk. This is not uncommon even in extremely promiscuous women.
6) All four women are heterosexual with heterosexual partners.
So, let's see if you think their risks are the same as I do!


How many of the women will probably have had the following disease within the last 12 months or be presently infected?

A) HPV
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

B) BV (Bacterial Vaginosis)
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

C) Trichmoniasis (Trich)
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

D) Scabies
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

E) Herpes
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

F) Chlamydia
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

G) Gonorrhea (GC)
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

H) Syphilis
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

I) HIV
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

J) Chancroid
.....1) All four
.....2) Three
.....3) Two
.....4) One
.....5) None

Select here for answers:
A) 1 - HPV is extremely prevalent and is believed to be the most prevalent STD in the US.
B) 1 - BV is also extremely prevalent
C) 1 - Trich is extremely common
D) 4 or 5 - Scabies is not prevalent in white middle class women - but an extremely promiscuous woman may well have become infected from an indiscriminate partner.
E) 1 - Herpes is highly prevalent and incurable.
F) 3 - Of reportable diseases, Chlamydia is the most prevalent. It is not usually symptomatic in women and not always detected. Reportable diseases are not as prevalent in the white middle class
G) 4 - 50% of all chlamydia patients are co-infected with GC
H) 5 - Syphilis is not as common. While I have grave doubts, some experts believe syphilis may be approaching eradication levels in the US
I) 5 - HIV is not prevalent in heterosexual white females of any class and the risk is negligible with only the most highly promiscuous being considered at risk. Co-infection changes the risk of infection significantly, but the risk of exposure remains the same.
J) 5 - Only 300 cases occur in the US each year - and those are generally imported. Travel outside the US can significantly increase risk - especially in areas like Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia


So, how did you do?

[Cheetah]

Hmm, my answers were:
A: 3)
B: 2)
C: 3)
D: 3)
E: 2)
F: 2)
G: 3)
H: 3)
I: 4)
J: 4)

So I didn't get a single one right. Never mind. :smile:

[{Tim}]

Well, I didn't actually write these down before I read the answers :frown: but I'll try to recall what I was going to put without being influenced...

a) 1 I understand HPV is pretty common
b) 3 Answered in the middle because I have no idea what this is
c, d) 3 as for #b
e) 2 or 3, but I'm just guessing
f, g, h) 3 again, because I don't know about them (you can tell I've never worried much about having any of them, can't you? :wink:)
i) 4 or 5 - I gather HIV is pretty rare for heterosexuals, at least in america (thanks teallaura! I'm learning things...)
j) not sure, but 4 or 5 because IIRC it's a pretty nasty disease so it'd kind of be news if lots of people had it (thanks to TL again :smile:)

So I was sort of on for a few. But hey, I'm really no expert in STDs...

But the quiz kind of makes you think, doesn't it? :teeth:

[Teallaura]

Don't feel bad - very few people can estimate the risks well. You really have to know morphology, demographics, prevalence as well as risk factors - and even well informed people seldom know all that stuff.

Thanks for taking the time to take the quiz! :smile:

[Teallaura]

Well, I didn't actually write these down before I read the answers :frown: but I'll try to recall what I was going to put without being influenced...

a) 1 I understand HPV is pretty common
b) 3 Answered in the middle because I have no idea what this is
c, d) 3 as for #b
e) 2 or 3, but I'm just guessing
f, g, h) 3 again, because I don't know about them (you can tell I've never worried much about having any of them, can't you? :wink:)
i) 4 or 5 - I gather HIV is pretty rare for heterosexuals, at least in america (thanks teallaura! I'm learning things...)
j) not sure, but 4 or 5 because IIRC it's a pretty nasty disease so it'd kind of be news if lots of people had it (thanks to TL again :smile:)

So I was sort of on for a few. But hey, I'm really no expert in STDs...

But the quiz kind of makes you think, doesn't it? :teeth:


B) Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) - Sorry, I should have spelled that one out.
C) Trichomoniasis - common bacterial - curable
D) Scabies - parasite, also known a pubic lice - they are mites which are visible to the naked eye.

Most of your guesses are pretty good. And thanks for the compliment! :smile:

[{Tim}]

B) Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) - Sorry, I should have spelled that one out.
C) Trichomoniasis - common bacterial - curable
D) Scabies - parasite, also known a pubic lice - they are mites which are visible to the naked eye.

Most of your guesses are pretty good. And thanks for the compliment! :smile:
:shrug: I still don't know what it is after you spell it out (I think you did in your OP anyway). :doh: Except that it's bacterial and has to do with the vagina.

Well it's true; I've learned quite a bit about STDs and risk factors from reading your posts. :) So thankyou. :flowers:

[Sheepdog]

heh. anyone else think it's kind of unsettling that permiscuity is so presented on TV and rarely do they present those involved as getting any STD?

[{Tim}]

heh. anyone else think it's kind of unsettling that permiscuity is so presented on TV and rarely do they present those involved as getting any STD?
:yeahthat:

[OneFollowingHim]

:yeahthat:

Political correctness.

[BeHereNow]

heh. anyone else think it's kind of unsettling that permiscuity is so presented on TV and rarely do they present those involved as getting any STD?

There was an episode where Samantha went for an HIV test and got negative results. That sort of reinforces what you're saying, I think.

But really, who the heck wants to watch a depressing show about someone with scabes? That's not good tv.

[Ruth]

It's a T.V. show and nobody gets anything other than a few Emmies/Golden Globe/ACE/SAG/ect awards. http://www.hbo.com/city/news/index.shtml
On the Sopranos nobody really gets whacked either. BADA BING!! :lol:

[Sheepdog]

in all seriousness, it might make for an interesting plot twist for one of the charicters to get HIV. how will the other women react? how will they support her emotionally? it can be done craptasticly, but if the writer knows what he is doing, it could turn out to be good.