Global Disparities in STI

Global disparities in STI has a great deal to do with classism. The poor seem to be at a disadvantage with STI's and the rich don't seem to have as great a problem with it.  If the whole world is taken into account, it can be broken up into three classes.  First, second and third world countries.  The same can be done with our country in lower, middle and upper class.  The slides in class with the maps showing the prevalence of STI in different parts of the world presented information to support that classism effects STI prevalence around the world.  The third world countries had much more prevalence than those first world countries.  Areas such as sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia were the most effected.

The reason for this can be because of lack of resources and education.  People in these countries don't know about the diseases because the education system is not there to support them in an efficient way.  They don't know the symptoms of the diseases and how to prevent them.  This facilitates the rapid spread of the disease.  They unknowingly go with their normal business not knowing that they are spreading disease. Even if they do know how to prevent or cure STI's, these people may not have the resources to obtain medication or condoms to prevent the disease.

I think my USA perspective on STI's is different than those around the world.  Our education system fairly good in that we have health classes so that we know about STI's.  If we don't know, we can easily go to a doctor to get checked out.  In other parts of the world, that is not so easy.  The availability of medication is also easy because I can go to a pharmacy and have a prescription filled.  The availability of condoms is really easy.  I was actually surprised on how easy anyone can get condoms here on campus.  Prevention is not really an issue.  My look on STI's is that it preventable and some cases treatable.  I don't have to worry too much because I'm aware of it.  In other countries it is different.  People might not know about STI's or if they do, they are scared because they know they might not be able to do anything about it.

I do think that these same causes of disease even happen here in the USA.  Lower classes might not have the education about STI's and the resources to cure or prevent them.  I know of people who might not even go to the doctor because they can't afford it and they rather tough it out.  This is not STI's but general heath problems.  When it gets too bad or feel they are going to die, they seek help but it might be to late to save them or too expensive.

Classism has a great effect on the spread of disease and our look on them.  In poor populations it seems that disease spread fast while in better off population the problems doesn't seem as bad.