Communicating about STIs and sexual health is essential to developing a healthy relationship and preventing STIs. An individual may want to think twice about engaging in sexual activity with someone who does not value these types of discussions. Telling a partner about having an STI can be very difficult. Nevertheless ,informing a partner is an important step to taking responsibility for preventing further infection. If you are sexually active, regular STI exams can help in obtaining effective treatment and preventing infection of partners.
Educators can also help young people connect with important resources.
Confidentiality is often a concern for teens. Advise teens to ask about confidentiality policies in these health care settings if confidentiality is a concern. Review condom availability in your community. Let young people know how they can get access to more information on sexually transmitted infections, such as an STI hotline, health education web sites, books, pamphlets, etc. Help adolescents build skills and encourage them to communicate about sexuality and decision-making with a parent or other trusted adult.