SEX, ALCOHOL AND SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES - A NATIONAL SURVEY

The analysis of a representative national survey of households provide s strong evidence that alcohol overshadows illicit drug use as a risk factor for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Men and women who rep ort a history of STDs are significantly more likely to have a history of problem drinking, independent of high-risk sexual activities and de mographic characteristics. However, a high rate of change in sexual pa rtners over the past five years also increases the chance of STD infec tion. Sexual orientation is a major STD risk factor among men but not among women. Although both black men and black women are at greater ri sk of STDs than are those in other racial or ethnic groups, results in dicate that black women's greater likelihood of having sex with men wh o have multiple partners, rather than their own rates of partner chang e, makes the crucial difference between their risk and that of white w omen.