Adverse health effects of sexual behavior

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

On balance, women tend to suffer more ill health resulting from sexual behavior, according to a new study.
Although sex should be pleasurable and fulfilling, it is not without risk to health. Problems include unwanted pregnancy, infection, including HIV, and psychological problems.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have made the first comprehensive attempt to assess the adverse health burden arising from sexual behavior in the United States. They have looked at mortality, illness and disability adjusted life years (DALYs). This is a measure of loss of life years caused by premature death and loss of healthy life because of illness.

The study shows that 1.3 per cent of all deaths can be attributed to sexual behavior as can 6.2 per cent of US DALYs. Women suffered 62 per cent of adverse health events and 57 per cent of DALYs. But men suffered 66 per cent of the deaths. But if HIV deaths were excluded, then 80 per cent of the deaths were among women.

Deaths from sexually transmitted infections that are curable were rare. For women cervical cancer caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) was the main cause of sex-related death and among men HIV was the main cause. The researchers also point out that the burden of sex-related DALYs in the US is three times higher than in similar developed countries. The burden could be reduced by advances such as a vaccine for HPV and hepatitis B and also by educating people about safe sex, so that the frequency of sexually transmitted infections is reduced. And we shouldn't forget that sex can have a positive effect on health too.

Source
Sexually transmitted infections 2005 Volume 81 pages 38-40

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