Sex+Health

In this episode we feature a conversation with Tamika Felder, a speaker who's appeared around the world to tell the story of her own cervical cancer journey and advocate for patients who often have difficulty finding their voices. She's the founder of Cervivor, a non-profit that supports cervical cancer patients, survivors, and loved one. She's also the author of Seriously, What Are You Waiting For? 13 Actions to IGNITE Your Life & Achieve the Ultimate Comeback.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is very common but often confused with yeast or other infections, leading many to self-treat ineffectively. Untreated BV can cause health issues so a proper diagnosis and prescribed treatment are both important. In this episode of the ASHA podcast Jenelle Marie Pierce, health educator and executive director of the TheSTIProject.com, shares her experiences in coping with BV and offers tips on talking with health care providers.

Sexual pleasure offers benefits beyond the obvious. With or without a partner, pleasure is not only feels good but it's good for you! Sometimes the medications we take to remain healthy have sexual side effects, though, and this can be especially vexing as we age. In this episode of our podcast we check in with Leah Johnson PharmD, RPh, a clinical consultant pharmacist supervisor. Think pharmacists simply count your pills and put them in a bottle? They are actually health care professionals and experts in medication issues. Dr. Johnson tells us what to do when medications interfere with our sex lives and spells out how your pharmacist can help.

Basketball coaches doubling as health instructors! Condoms as a teen-age status symbol! Adolescent wise-guys shouting Wrap your Willie! Get the scoop on why condoms are great and how, back in the day, they were a source of awe and great fun.

It used to be so simple: go for an annual Pap! The venerable Pap is now frequently used as a co-test along with a test for the Human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes almost all cases of cervical cancer. In this episode Dr. Latoya Patterson breaks down the current approaches to screening for cervical cancer including the newest option, HPV primary screening, where an HPV test is used without being paired with a Pap test. The Pap test still has a role, though, so tune in to find out all about it!

There are several contraceptive options available today and it can be pretty overwhelming trying to decide. This episode of the Sex+Health Podcast talks about how to make the right choice and how to have conversations with your teens about using contraceptives. Lynn Barclay, ASHA's CEO and President, talks with ASHA staff, Susan Reynolds, and her mother, Lisa Gardner, about having open and honest conversations about preventing pregnancy and STIs.

"Why are we waiting to begin discussing consent as young people enter college? It's important to begin young so kids learn to recognize abusive behaviors. This also allows consent to be instilled as a value rather than a lesson to be taught when they become sexually active" - ASHA intern Olivia Whitcomb on sexual assault and learning consent

You don't even have to buy us dinner. The Quickie is ASHA's latest podcast series looking at current issues in sexual health in a short (less than five minute) format so you can get your fix get a move on. We'll debut a new episode each week during September so stream or download here. Week one: "Just say no" is lousy advice for a number of things, including sex!

In this episode, we're talking about bacterial vaginosis, or BV, the most common vaginal infection in women ages 15-44. Dr. Noor Abualnadi, a gynecologist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, helps break down the basic facts about BV, including why women get BV, how it's diagnosed, and what treatment options are available. Most importantly, though, she talks about why self-diagnosis and home remedies can do more harm than good. So listen and learn why "less is more" should be the motto for vaginal health.

An estimated 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS and the CDC says about 1 in 7 don't know their status. Testing is so important and thankfully we've seen great progress with the evolution of both HIV diagnostic technologies and the availability of effective treatment options. On HIV Testing Day 2019 we remember the clinical/medical side of things is only part of the HIV struggle: There remains much to do in the areas of justice, equality, and dealing with stigma. We end this episode with a wrap-up of Men's Health Month and a free download of the Health is Power toolkit to help organizations communicate positive sexual health messages to young African-American men.

Since our last update on HPV and cervical cancer some big changes have occurred: HPV vaccination has been approved for use with males and females through age 45 and updated cervical cancer screening guidelines now include an option for HPV primary testing (translation: an HPV test done alone without a Pap as a co-test). In this episode Ina Park, MD, breaks all of this down and peeks at a future where we might actually be able to discuss the elimination of cervical cancer. Dr. Park is an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine.

A Two-part Conversation on Herpes with Terri Warren, RN, ANP (Part 2: Psychosocial) by American Sexual Health Association

A Two-part Conversation on Herpes with Terri Warren, RN, ANP (Part 1: Diagnostics) by American Sexual Health Association

In this episode we chat with Dr. Logan Levkoff on the value of pleasure not only in a relationship but as part of our overall well-being. Whether alone or with a partner, sexual pleasure is good for you! Listen in as Dr. Levkoff dishes on everything from not only having more sex but better sex, and why sexual pleasure doesn't need to involve a partner!

Beyond the physical discomfort they experience, women with chronic pelvic pain often have to navigate choppy waters emotionally and in their relationships. Dr. Karen Tang with the Gynecology Specialists of Philadelphia practice joins us to talk about the many possible causes of chronic pelvic pain and approaches to treatment. She offers practical advice not only for women but their partners, too. Visit http://philadelphiagyn.com/ for patient education resources including videos with Dr. Tang.

Treat Me Right: The Continued Evolution of Therapies for Cervical Cancer by American Sexual Health Association

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has published a draft of updated cervical cancer screening guidelines and some big changes are proposed. For insight on why check-ups for cervical cancer continue to change and move away from the traditional annual Pap, in this episode we chat with Mark H. Einstein, MD, MS, Professor and Chair of OB/GYN and Women's Health at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Female sexual difficulties are more common than you think and impact couples inside and outside the bedroom. When sex isn't easy how do you even begin this conversation with your partner or, for that matter, your healthcare provider? Sociologist, sexologist and relationship expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz joins our Sex+Health podcast for a three-part discussion on the range of female sexual difficulties and offers practical advice and resources for women (and their partners). You're not alone! Episode One: How do female sexual difficulties (FSD) affect relationships in and out of the bedroom? Episode Two: Concerned your partner is no longer in the mood? It may be more than you think. Episode Three: Diving deeper into the most common female sexual difficulty (FSD), Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), and the other types of FSD that may be affecting your relationship.

Female sexual difficulties are more common than you think and impact couples inside and outside the bedroom. When sex isn't easy how do you even begin this conversation with your partner or, for that matter, your healthcare provider? Sociologist, sexologist and relationship expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz joins our Sex+Health podcast for a three-part discussion on the range of female sexual difficulties and offers practical advice and resources for women (and their partners). You're not alone! Episode One: How do female sexual difficulties (FSD) affect relationships in and out of the bedroom? Episode Two: Concerned your partner is no longer in the mood? It may be more than you think. Episode Three: Diving deeper into the most common female sexual difficulty (FSD), Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), and the other types of FSD that may be affecting your relationship.

Female sexual difficulties are more common than you think and impact couples inside and outside the bedroom. When sex isn't easy how do you even begin this conversation with your partner or, for that matter, your healthcare provider? Sociologist, sexologist and relationship expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz joins our Sex+Health podcast for a three-part discussion on the range of female sexual difficulties and offers practical advice and resources for women (and their partners). You're not alone! Episode One: How do female sexual difficulties (FSD) affect relationships in and out of the bedroom? Episode Two: Concerned your partner is no longer in the mood? It may be more than you think. Episode Three: Diving deeper into the most common female sexual difficulty (FSD), Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), and the other types of FSD that may be affecting your relationship.

It's Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month—time to talk about cancers that affect more than 89,000 women in the US each year. Mamta Singhvi, MD, a radiation oncologist and ASHA board member, discusses various ways gynecologic cancers are treated, what to expect during and following treatment and issues around prevention and early detection.

In this episode of the Sex+Health podcast Dr. Eli Coleman, director of the Program in Human Sexuality at the University of Minnesota and a former member of ASHA's board of directors, talks about developing a broader view of sexual health that goes beyond merely having sex with another person.

In this episode of ASHA's Sex+Health podcast, we ruminate on men and sexual health. Dr. Abe Morgentaler of Men's Health Boston and ASHA's vice president for strategic partnerships Kay Phillips offer their insights and we highlight the tools and resources ASHA offers for men (and organizations serving them).

"[Girls] have told by society that sex is great but that's not their experience. They don't know how to talk about that disconnect, there's a certain amount of shame that shuts down their voice….for me, sexual empowerment for girls is helping them to find a voice in their sexual relationships." In a compelling TED Talk video, nurse practitioner Jane Epstein makes the case that our efforts are sadly lacking with it comes to talking to teen girls and young women. In this episode of ASHA's podcast we delve deeper into the topic with Ms. Epstein on not only what to say when talking to young females about sex, but how to help them speak up for themselves. Jane Epstein is a Yale graduate and a clinician who sees teenagers at a high school-based health clinic where, as part of comprehensive health care, she provides sexual health care including contraception services to teens.

We're frequently asked about websites touting unlicensed, off-the-grid vaccines and supplements that claim to cure HPV and related diseases. In this episode, H. Hunter Handsfield, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of Washington Center for AIDS and STD, breaks down the more common HPV "miracle cures" and also answers the most common questions about legitimate, approved HPV vaccines.

There are many misconceptions around men, sex, sexuality, and just what men want from relationships. Guys are seen as always turned on, selfish in the bedroom, and not all that interested in their partner once the carnal tango ends. Is that fair? To find out we chatted with men's sexual health expert Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, an associate clinical professor at Harvard Medical School, the director and founder of Men's Health Boston, and a member of ASHA's board of directors. He's also the author of The Truth About Men and Sex: Intimate Secrets from the Doctor's Office.

It used to be very simple – a woman had an annual Pap test. Now, Paps can be done alone or in combination with an HPV test (one HPV test can even be used for primary cervical cancer screening). Added to the mix is a set of updated guidelines that, for most women, means an annual cervical cancer screening exam is a thing of the past. It can all be very confusing, even for healthcare providers! Not to worry: in this episode we talk to Ina Park, MD, who sorts it all out for us. Dr. Park is an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Park is also the medical director of the California Prevention Training Center.

As Congress considers funding to answer the many unknown questions about Zika virus and to proactively push out education and awareness messages for Zika, Fred Wyand discusses what we know about Zika virus, sexual transmission, and ways to protect against it.

Taking care of young males is often a challenge, since most young men do not visit their healthcare providers on a regular basis. In this episode, Dr. David Bell discusses ways to build rapport with patients, elements of the physical examination, immunizations, sexual health, and other matters of relevance to this population. Dr. Bell is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Population and Family Health at the Columbia University Medical Center. He is also the Medical Director of The Young Men's Clinic at the New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Tales of sexual exploration, pleasure, and a sense of freedom, fulfillment and finding oneself. This episode of ASHA's Sex+Health podcast features a chat with Lynn Brown Rosenberg, author of My Sexual Awakening at 70: And What Led Me Here.

Cancer can be isolating, and it's easy to see where friends and family members who haven't personally dealt with cancer—and if they have, probably haven't dealt with your specific cancer—aren't able to fully relate and a patient can feel alone in some ways. The volunteer chapter leaders who work with ASHA's National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) understand this well; many chapter leaders are cervical cancer survivors or patients, others are family members who lost a loved one to the disease. In honor of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, ASHA's Fred Wyand asked NCCC chapter leaders to share their insights around what NCCC offers, coping with treatment and follow-up, and anything else they think women and families should know when it comes to dealing with cervical cancer. Fred shares their responses in this episode of ASHA's Sex+Health podcast and underscores the need for support and the value in finding others who really understand and appreciate what a patient is going through.

Cervical cancer screening used to all be so simple—women were told just go for your annual Pap. But now we have new tests to screen for cervical cancer, plus updated guidelines that, for most women, mean routine screening is done every few years rather than annually. The changes are confusing not only to women but their healthcare providers, too. So to sort all this out, we're talking today with Dr. Warner Huh, Division Director and Professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

Most sexually active individuals are estimated to have one or more infections in their lifetime with the human papillomavirus (HPV) and, not surprisingly, ASHA receives countless HPV questions like: What should I tell a partner? Will I always have it? How are HPV tests used? How well do vaccines work? In this episode, H. Hunter Handsfield, MD, covers these and other common questions about HPV. Dr. Handsfield is Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of Washington Center for AIDS and STD, and former director of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Program for Public Health—Seattle & King County, Seattle, Washington. He recently completed six years as a member of ASHA's Board of Directors.

Fred Wyand talks to Walker Thornton, M.Ed, about reigniting the spark your sex life and communicating about sexual pleasure. Thornton writes extensively about sexuality, relationships, sexual health, and caregiving, with a special focus on sexual health and aging.

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a common sexually transmitted infection. So common that most (~80%) of sexually active people will be infected with HPV at some point. While it is often harmless, it can cause genital warts and even lead to cervical cancer. In this episode of ASHA's Sex+Health podcast, Fred Wyand talks to Ina Park, MD, assistant professor at University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, about HPV, from genital warts, cervical cancer vaccines, the stigma associated with warts "below the waistline," talking to partners about HPV, and more.

We have an abundance of accurate, relatively inexpensive tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but the trick is engaging patients and health professionals so the proper tests are given to the right individuals. In this episode of ASHA's Sex+Health podcast we chat with J. Dennis Fortenberry, MD, MS, professor of pediatrics and medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, about barriers to STI testing and what we can do to empower patients and providers alike.

Long-acting reversible contraception, or LARC, is reversible birth control that provides long-lasting (think years) pregnancy prevention. LARC methods, which include intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, are highly reliable, but they don't prevent STIs. For this reason, many choose to use (and health professionals recommend) condoms in addition to a LARC method. Dual use of condoms and LARC thus offers couples dual prevention. ASHA's Fred Wyand (a.k.a. Fredo) discusses dual use of LARC and condoms in the latest episode of ASHA Sex+Health podcast. Fred explains the facts about LARC and the added benefit of dual use of LARC and condoms to prevent STIs.