Health
More than half of Americans with STDs were infected by cheating partners, survey finds
A new study has exposed the sexual health habits of some Americans.
Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to determine how and where Americans have been contracting and spreading STIs (sexually transmitted infections), also known as STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).
Among the findings from DatingNews.com was the fact that 55% of people with an STI contracted it from a cheating partner.
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Thirteen percent of the nearly 1,000 respondents said their partner has lied to them about their STI status, while 45% did not discuss testing with their partner before becoming sexually active.
Nearly one in five (18%) of respondents said they had been diagnosed with an STI, with the most common diagnosis, chlamydia, making up 36% of the cases.
Fifty-five percent of people with an STI said they contracted it from a cheating partner, according to the study. (iStock)
The survey participants ranged in age from 18 to 79, DatingNews.com spokesperson Emily Fanous told Fox News Digital.
Since 81% of Americans over 18 are sexually active, Fanous emphasized the importance of knowing one’s risk — and how getting testing can aid in prevention.
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One in three Americans in the study said they have never been tested for an STI.
The largest number of untested individuals were baby boomers (51%), followed by millennials (33%) and Gen Z and Gen X (both 29%).
The main reasons respondents said they’ve refrained from testing are embarrassment (25%), lack of time (22%) and cost (19%).
Baby boomers made up 51% of individuals who had never been tested for STDs. (iStock)
Dr. Gabe Gaviola, M.D., senior medical director at Everlywell in New York — an at-home STD testing and treatment platform — noted that there are more than 20 million new cases of STIs reported in the U.S. each year.
“The real surprise from these findings is the lack of STI testing that could prevent new cases,” Gaviola, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital during an on-camera interview. (See the video at the top of this article.)
“Many STIs don’t present any symptoms, which means you shouldn’t wait for symptoms to get tested.”
“As a doctor and public health advocate, I wish more people knew that there are affordable at-home STI lab testing options that provide quick, reliable results with the privacy and convenience of collection at home.”
“I wish more people knew that there are affordable at-home STI lab testing options that provide quick, reliable results with the privacy and convenience of collection at home,” said a sexual health expert. (iStock)
The study also found that only 34% of people get annual STI testing, while fewer than 25% get tested before entering a new relationship.
“Those numbers aren’t high enough,” Gaviola said. “Many STIs don’t present any symptoms, which means you shouldn’t wait for symptoms to get tested.”
STDs by state
The research also revealed the U.S. states that have the most STI and STD cases.
Mississippi has the highest rate, at 1,187 diagnoses per 100,000 people, followed by Louisiana at 1,145, Alaska at 1,066, South Dakota at 993 and Georgia at 975.
Fanous encouraged those in states with high rates to consider being tested if they are sexually active.
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“These findings show that too many people are not prioritizing their sexual health,” Gaviola said.
“Whether it’s because of stigma, access or education, millions of Americans who are at high risk of getting or transmitting an STI are not getting tested.”
“We need to advance the conversation around sexual health and increase education about the importance of STI testing.”
“Whether it’s because of stigma, access or education, millions of Americans who are at high risk of getting or transmitting an STI are not getting tested,” an expert said. (iStock)
Everlywell is teaming up with the American Sexual Health Association for the first-ever National Get Tested Day on Sept. 30.
“Testing is the first step in empowering people with important information about their sexual health.”
“Our goal is to educate and break down barriers to accessing this essential health care,” Gaviola said.
“Testing is the first step in empowering people with important information about their sexual health.”
Sexual health experts encourage routine STI testing, even for people in long-term, monogamous relationships. (iStock)
Gaviola added that even people in long-term, monogamous relationships should stay up to date on STI testing.
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“Many STIs don’t present any symptoms, but if left undetected and untreated, they can lead to serious long-term health issues, such as infertility,” he cautioned.
The expert encouraged Americans to have open conversations with their partners before entering a sexual relationship and to “keep checking in.”
“This helps establish trust that they are taking their sexual health as seriously as you are by getting tested regularly,” he said.
Health
Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
Health
One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
Health
I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take
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