[article_total_comments]
ASN's Ask Dr. Ziggy: A Study of STDs Among Swingers
Greetings, fellow swingers!
It's another issue of your favorite magazine, and we're back with answers to your questions. Remember, your questions don't have to be just on swinging.
I decided to share with the readers the results of a study I conducted a couple of years ago on the rates of STDs among Swingers. Now, these data refer to a particular study and may not reflect the Swingers Community, nevertheless, it gives an indication that STDs aren’t quite as common among Swingers as in the general population (you call them Vanilla, I know…).
The purpose of this study was to gather information about the sexual activities of swingers, to determine the incidence and prevalence of STDs in this population, and to evaluate the safe sex practices of swingers. Diseases that are spread through sexual contact are usually referred to as “sexually transmitted diseases”—STDs. According to the CDC and the American Sexual Health Association abstinence (not having oral, vaginal, or anal sex) is the best way to prevent a STD. It is estimated that as many as one in five Americans have genital herpes, over 6 million people acquire HPV each year. Consistent condom use provides substantial protection against the acquisition of many STDs, including a statistically significant reduction of risk against HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and syphilis.
Sample
The respondents were a self-selected sample of swingers (sample of convenience) recruited through an online advertisement in three of major swingers’ web dating sites. (2,103 (74%) men & 741 (26%) women)
Safer Oral Sex Behaviors
When engaging in oral sex during swinging:
- I use condoms
- I ask my partner(s) to use condoms
- I use a latex barrier (i.e., dental dams)
- I ask my partner(s) to use a latex barrier (i.e., dental dams)
Safer Intercourse Behaviors
- When engaging in vaginal sex during swinging I use condoms
- When engaging in anal sex during swinging I use condoms
- When engaging in vaginal or anal sex during swinging I ask my partner(s) to use condoms
Safer Sex Assessment Behaviors
- I ask my sexual partners for their STD status
- I tell my partners about my STD
- I get tested for STDs at least once a year
Risky Sexual Behaviors
- I have engaged in swinging activities while infected by an STD
- I share sex toys with other sexual partners
- I swing with "single" individuals
Conclusions
- Swingers, by self-report, have very low rates of STDs, even though not all engage in safer sex practices. (less than 2%)
- Women are twice as likely to report getting infected with an STD during swinging.
- Different variables differ among those who have versus those that have not been infected with an STD through swinging.
- We may question the simple statement that multiple partners = high STD risk – we must consider the context as with this population.
- Swinging itself is not a high-risk behavior.
- Swingers consider swinging a safe behavior; swingers also feel that other swingers are trustworthy.
However:
- Sample: self-selected sample of convenience
- May not be representative of the population
- Individuals infected with STDs may have dropped out of swinging
- Respondents may have had a bias motivation in participating in the survey.
Further research is necessary using urogenital sampling.
Thank you for reading.
Cheers!
Dr. Ziggy
This article originally appeared in the June 2019 issue of ASN Lifestyle Magazine.
COMMENT
