Preventative Care: Men’s Edition June is Men’s Health Month. A month dedicated to educating and encouraging men to make healthy lifestyle choices. These include regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, and keeping up to date on preventative care. But what is preventative care? Preventative care consists of things you can do before you get sick…
Preventative Health
“Always Have Hope!”
Who are Your People? There is a saying that goes something like, “A good friend will bail you out of jail. A true friend will be sitting next to you in jail saying, ‘That was awesome!’” Now, I’m not condoning behavior that winds a person in jail! But, the sentiment is real. Something powerful happens…
“‘NO’ is a Complete Sentence.”
This week, Morgan, RN, and her friend Ann speak to a study on teen pregnancy prevention. When a group of pregnant teen girls was asked, “What can be done to lower the teen pregnancy rate?” their answer was, “Teach us how to say no and not hurt our boyfriend’s feelings.” Education on healthy relationships is…
“You Don’t Have to Stay Where You Are.”
When something unexpected happens, it is all too easy to panic. We understand the uncertainty, fear, and isolation an unplanned pregnancy can cause, and our goal from the beginning was to help women facing that situation. Women worry about all kinds of life changes related to pregnancy, especially when unintentional: Connect offers “Decision-Making Services” which…
“You are worthy.”
Today, we continue to talk to Ann, a woman who experienced an unexpected pregnancy while in high school. Ann describes feeling shameful and unworthy of receiving help. Shame and feeling unworthy can be a major barrier to accessing help, especially around sexual health care. What is unmentionable is unmanageable, is the common phrase. Having someone…
“There is Always a Silver Lining”
May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Statistically, the teen pregnancy rate (15-19 years old) in North Dakota is 13.7%. Meaning, more than 1 out of every 10 teen girls in ND get pregnant before age 20. This month, Connection Point is honored to share Ann’s story. At 16, Ann faced an unintended pregnancy. With hope…
What Only 12% are Doing, and Why that’s Gotta Change.
Did you get them all right?
The CDC recommends that everyone who is sexually active be tested on a routine basis, annually for those who are sexually active, and every 3-6 months for those who have multiple partners and other higher risk factors.
Because of limitations based on their age and point in their life, those who are 15-24 years old (Gen Z) are tested much less frequently than the recommendations. At only 12%, it makes sense that over 50% of all STI infections impact those in that age range.
So why aren’t Gen Zers seeking STI testing?
First, those in that age range often feel they don’t have access to sexual health care. Being on their parent’s health insurance, they may not feel confident talking about these needs with their parents or pediatrician. (We often find that once a teen does open up about their fears and health needs, parent’s reactions are much less severe than what the teen imagined. Parents want what is best for their kids!)
Second, biology is still developing making teens more susceptible to STIs. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for cause-and-effect decision-making, is still developing leading to impulsive, unplanned encounters. The cervix, too, in young women, isn’t fully developed, leaving her less protected than she would be if she delays sexual initiation.
Third, Zoomers just might not know about the recommendation for routine screening. This is the generation consuming the most media (movies, songs, tv shows) in history, yet rarely do storylines emphasize sexual risk avoidance, even while depicting sexual relationships that could lead to the spread of STIs.
So what’s the bottom line?
Connect Medical Clinic sees people who are 14+ years old because that’s the law in the state of ND. The visit is confidential and we do not file with insurance but have low- and no-cost services to help people in our community make informed choices about their sexual health.
If you or someone you know is sexually active and has not been screened for STIs, please reach out to Connect at connectmedicalclinic.com.
What’s the Difference?
Thank you for your question to our nurses! April is STI Awareness Month and we’re here to answer your questions! The acronyms in your question refer to Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections. Actually, these terms are interchangeable and both refer to microorganisms that are passed via intimate skin-to-skin sexual contact. In recent years,…
Zoomers: Ask an RN!
This month, we are going to focus on answering Gen Z’s FAQs about sexual health.
If you have a question you’d like to have answered in the blog, text “BLOG” to 701-840-6280 followed by your question, and one of our nurses will be sure to answer it for you!
Restful Sleep for a Spring in Your Step
Thank you to all who completed our sleep survey! What did we learn? When it comes to healthy sleep, our worst habit is shutting off electronics ahead of our bedtime. 33% of those surveyed reported having their phone on as they went to bed. Our best sleep habit was utilizing a noise machine to minimize…