The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Headline: Survey finds many have dangerous misconceptions on how STIs spread and who is at risk
Video: 
Nurse practitioner Stacey Biffle-Quimba to patient: ÒDo you have any symptoms or exposures that youÕre aware of?Ó 
Patient: ÒNot that IÕm aware of.Ó
Reporter Barb Consiglio (all caps): AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE FOR SEXUAL HEALTH, NURSE PRACTITIONER STACY BIFFLE-QUIMBA HAS HEARD EVERY EXCUSE FOR AVOIDING STI TESTING.
Nurse practitioner Stacey Biffle-Quimba: ÒSometimes it might just be that they are concerned and they are not ready to hear the potential result.Ó
Reporter Barb Consiglio: BUT GETTING TESTED IS AS IMPORTANT AS EVERY AS CASES RISE. SYPHILIS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS INCREASED A STARTINGLY 80 PERCENT OVER A YEAR-YEAR SPAN.
Nurse practitioner Stacey Biffle-Quimba: ÒThat is one of those things that patients either won't have symptoms or won't notice their symptoms because they kind of go away and that is an infection that can be fatal.Ó 
Reporter Barb Consiglio: EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR MOST STIs, BUT A NEW NATIONAL SURVEY BY THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER REVEALS MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE SPREAD OF STIs COULD DELAY TIMELY DIAGNOSES. 
THE SURVEY FOUND OVER A THIRD OF AMERICANS BELIEVE STIs CAN ONLY BE SPREAD THROUGH SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, A FALSE ASSUMPTION THAT IS ESPECIALLY PREVALENT AMONG THOSE UNDER 30.
[Text on screen:
34% believe STIs can only be transmitted through sexual intercourse]
ITÕS MISINFORMATION DOCTOR JOSE BAZAN SAYS CAN ONLY BE COMBATED THROUGH EDUCATION.
Jose A. Bazan, DO: ÒHaving these conversations with our patients in a safe, non-judgmental and really a patient-centered approach ultimately is going to be a critical tool in helping us to fight the epidemic of STIs.Ó 
Reporter Barb Consiglio: ITÕS THE FIRST STEP IN THE CDCÕs MANTRA TO TALK. TEST. TREAT.
THE NEXT STEP PRESENTS ANOTHER CHALLENGE, AS THE SURVEY ALSO FOUND ONE IN FIVE BELIEVE YOU SHOULD ONLY BE TESTED FOR AN STI IF YOUÕRE EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS.
[Text on screen: 
20% believe you should only be tested if you show symptoms]
Nurse practitioner Stacey Biffle-Quimba: ÒI think a lot of people think, Ôif I feel fine, I am fine.ÕÓ 
Reporter Barb Consiglio: BUT EVEN WITHOUT SYMPTOMS AND EVEN WITH SAFE SEX PRACTICES, ANYONE WHO IS SEXUALLY ACTIVE SHOULD BE ROUTINELY TESTED.
Jose A. Bazan, DO: ÒWe should feel as comfortable talking about sexual health topics as we do talking about blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.Ó
Reporter Barb Consiglio: AT THE OHIO STATE WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER, IÕM BARB CONSIGLIO.