Topic: Sexual Health Care

Ina Park, MD, on Syphilis: The STI That Keeps Us Guessing

Ina Park, MD, on Syphilis: The STI That Keeps Us Guessing

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Ina Park, MD, is back again for a focused look at her (second) favorite sexually transmitted infection: syphilis (favorite because it’s fascinating). She says, “it’s one of the most challenging conditions to diagnose in clinical medicine because it literally can look like anything.” Join Ina and Tammy as they explore how syphilis was almost eliminated around 2000 and then surged again to current rates of infection in the US. Ina spotlights how a rise in congenital syphilis has fueled a mobilization in public health efforts, even while she celebrates declines in rates of the most infectious types of syphilis. As national syphilis screening guidelines are adapted to increase screening, including in emergency departments, Ina is optimistic for a reduction in future syphilis rates. But here’s the takeaway for healthcare providers and patients alike: keep syphilis on your radar. A quick shot of penicillin early-on can save everyone a lot of trouble. 

Links: 

Ina Park MD, MS, is the author of Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs. She is the Principal Investigator at the California Prevention Training Center. Ina is a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and a Medical Consultant in the Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is a co-author of the 2021 CDC STD Treatment Guidelines, the country’s premier resource for diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.   

Read the transcript of the episode here. 

Have any questions, concerns, or love letters? Send us a message on Instagram @comingtogetherpod or email us at captc@ucsf.edu 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Opt-Out Screening for STIs and HIV Job Aid

Opt-out screening is an approach where all patients are informed that HIV/STIs screening will be performed as part of routine medical care, unless the patient specifically declines. Included in the job aid are resources from various sources (including the CDC and CDPH), a workflow for a typical office visit, and guidelines for best practices.

Recent research has shown that opt-out guidelines increase screening rates and subsequent treatment for HIV and STIs (such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis). This method reduces stigma, improves health equity, and opens the door for more comprehensive care.

Opt-Out Screening for STIs and HIV

Compilation: Reproductive Justice and Family Planning

Compilation: Reproductive Justice and Family Planning

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Check out a compilation of three previous episodes on reproductive justice and family planning. After you hear what each of our guests has to share, take a listen to one (or all!) of the full episodes: 

Have any questions, concerns, or love letters? Send us a message on Instagram @comingtogetherpod or email us at captc@ucsf.edu 

Don’t forget to leave us a review on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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The Clitoris and Its Friends with Rachel Gross

The Clitoris and Its Friends with Rachel Gross

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Rachel E. Gross

Did you know the visible part of the clitoris is less than one-third of its actual size? Cliterally just the tip of the iceberg! In this second part of our series with Rachel Gross, Rachel and Tammy’s excitement sparks an important conversation about this understudied organ and its friends–the vagina, vulva, and pelvic floor. Afterall, it is not common knowledge that (gasp) all sexual organs differentiate from the same embryonic root, or that close to 10,280 nerve endings were counted in one clitoris. By taking an interdisciplinary approach to sexual health, Rachel reveals how pleasure is impacted by menopause, vulvodynia, and pelvic pain. She calls attention to the whole-person approach of gender-affirming care doctors, and the importance of addressing a person’s overall experience of their bodies and pleasure. There is much to explore about pleasure and sexual health in this episode.

Links: 

  • Check out Rachel Gross’s website 

Bio: 

Rachel Gross has been a science reporter for over 10 years, determined to share educational resources and information with the public. Rachel’s work has been published in The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC Future, National Geographic, and more. Rachel is also the author of Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage, a novel dedicated to re-mapping the female body based on meticulous research and exploration. Rachel is a committed sexual health educator, having lectured at various organizations and top universities in the nation. 

Read the transcript of the episode here. 

Have any questions, concerns, or love letters? Send us a message on Instagram @comingtogetherpod or email us at captc@ucsf.edu. 

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STI Expert Hour Webinar – Adolescent Sexual Health: Influences, Trends, and How Healthcare Providers can Support Adolescent Sexual Health and Wellbeing

STI Expert Hour Webinar – Adolescent Sexual Health: Influences, Trends, and How Healthcare Providers can Support Adolescent Sexual Health and Wellbeing

December 3, 2024
11:30AM-1:00PM (PST)

Registration closes on December 2nd at 3:00PM (PST). Recording available 2 weeks after the webinar. CME not available for viewing the webinar recording.

Presenter

Claudia Borzutzky, MD

Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine at USC
Chief, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles/Keck School of Medicine at USC
Medical Director for Adolescent Health, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles

Course Description

Sexuality is a normal part of healthy adolescent development, yet milestones of teens’ sexual development vary widely in terms of timing, cultural acceptance and how supported they are, and associated risks for adverse health outcomes. Dr. Claudia Borzutzky, an adolescent medicine specialist, will present an overview of:

  • the importance of confidential care for teens, both in primary care and sexual health settings
  • supporting adolescent sexual wellbeing
  • trends in use of contraception and condoms, teen pregnancy, and STIs among teens
  • the intersection of mental health, gender diversity, and the COVID epidemic with adolescent sexual health

Learning Objectives

  • Integrate understanding of adolescent consent and confidentiality laws in California in order to optimize your practice and lower barriers to care
  • Explain the difference between risk reduction and the promotion of well-being, in the context of adolescent sexual health
  • Describe teen-centered approaches to promotion of sexual well-being, and reducing rates of STIs and undesired pregnancy
Claudia Borzutzky, MD

Dr. Ina Park Unwraps the CDC’s New 2023 STI Report

Dr. Ina Park Unwraps the CDC’s New 2023 STI Report

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CDC’s 2023 STI Report is in, and for the first time in years, there’s good news. Tune in to our latest episode with Dr. Ina Park, a nationally recognized expert on STIs, to learn why she is cautiously optimistic about the new data trends in chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Dr. Park expertly navigates the report with our host, Tammy Kremer, explaining how the previous surge in STIs has begun to slow, while prevalence continues to be high in certain “STI microclimates.” Dr. Park stresses the importance of maintaining momentum through increased testing, focused prevention efforts for disproportionately impacted communities, and reducing stigma around STIs. Listen in to discover how disease intervention specialists are battling syphilis on Native American reservations with plenty of penicillin, a trusty car, and heroic determination. Overall, Dr. Park envisions a world where discussing infections is as routine and stigma-free as talking about the common cold.  

Resources: 

Previous Episodes with Dr. Ina Park:

Brief Bio:

  • Ina Park MD, MS, is the author of Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs. She is the Principal Investigator at the California Prevention Training Center. Ina is a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and a Medical Consultant in the Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is a co-author of the 2021 CDC STD Treatment Guidelines, the country’s premier resource for diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.   

Check out the transcript of the episode.

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Vagina Obscura: A Conversation with Rachel E. Gross

Vagina Obscura: A Conversation with Rachel E. Gross

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Rachel E. Gross

Meet Rachel E. Gross, science journalist and author of Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage. In this first part of a two–part conversation, Rachel shares how her personal experience with bacterial vaginosis inspired her to write a book that investigates what we know about different parts of female anatomy and how that knowledge (and lack thereof) has been developed. Vagina Obscura is Tammy’s favorite read of the year! Rachel highlights the often-overlooked clitoris and vagina, exploring how these body parts are still unfamiliar or awkward for many, including healthcare professionals. We also delve into the systemic marginalization of female and LGBTQ+ voices in science, and how this has influenced society’s understanding of the female sexual and reproductive system. Our discussion covers topics like vaginal pH balance and why it varies across different racial groups, and the use of boric acid—a common rat poison—as a treatment for bacterial vaginosis. Rachel also shares the story behind her book’s title, Vagina Obscura.

Part two of the episode with Rachel is all about the clitoris. Stay tuned!

Check out the transcript of the episode.

Guest Bio 

Rachel Gross has been a science reporter for over 10 years, determined to share educational resources and information with the public. Rachel’s work has been published in The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC Future, National Geographic, and more. Rachel is also the author of Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage, a novel dedicated to re-mapping the female body based on meticulous research and exploration. Rachel is a committed sexual health educator, having lectured at various organizations and top universities in the nation.  

Links:

  • Check out Rachel Gross’s website 

CAPTC related training and resources: 

Have any questions, concerns, or love letters? Send us a message on Instagram @comingtogetherpod or email us at captc@ucsf.edu.

Don’t forget to leave us a review on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Mpox Job Aids

CAPTC is pleased to announce two job aids, focused on mpox recognition, diagnosis, testing, treatment, and vaccination.

The shorter job aid is called “Mpox Clinical Recognition and Testing Quicksheet: Mpox Presentations vs. Common Exanthems.” It is intended as a print resource, to help facilitate clinical recognition of mpox in health care settings. The longer job aid, “Mpox Clinical Recognition and Testing Overview,” is intended as an electronic resource. It has links to a number of helpful mpox-related resources.

Mpox Clinical Recognition and Testing Quicksheet
Mpox Clinical Recognition and Testing Overview

You can find the sources of images used in the quicksheet here:

Image Sources

Mpox Disease Intervention Series

The goal of this training is to prepare staff of local health departments to perform effective disease intervention (DI) interviews for mpox. This training aims to build on disease intervention skills by applying knowledge of the complexities and nuances specifically related to mpox DI interviews.

Go To Trainings

Learning Objectives
By the end of these trainings, you should be able to:

  1. Communicate accurate information about mpox symptoms, transmission, prevention, treatment, and services.
  2. Gain awareness of the lived experiences of gay, bi, other men who have sex with men (MSM), including transgender men, and other trans people as it relates to mpox.
  3. Understand a sex-positive, person-centered approach to taking a sexual history for mpox.
  4. Use motivational interviewing and health coaching tools to support clients in seeking vaccination, screening, or treatment for mpox.
  5. Examine personal and structural biases to reduce stigma during mpox interviews.

S4 E9 From Red Ribbons to Leather Straps: Rodney McCoy’s Trailblazing Tale of HIV Prevention and Pleasure 

S4 E9 From Red Ribbons to Leather Straps: Rodney McCoy’s Trailblazing Tale of HIV Prevention and Pleasure 

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In this episode, Rodney McCoy, a Black queer man with over four decades of experience in HIV prevention and education, shares his journey as a Leatherman of color and discusses the intersection of BDSM, kink, and HIV prevention. From his entry into the kink community to becoming a titleholder in the American Leatherman competition, Rodney emphasizes how the kink community provided a safe space for self-discovery and empowerment. The episode explores the link between pleasure, power dynamics, and HIV prevention, highlighting the importance of honest conversations, sex positivity training, and the destigmatization of “risky behavior.”  

Rodney, a health educator, program director, adjunct professor, and researcher, emphasizes the partnership between healthcare professionals and patients in promoting sexual health. Rodney says, “I am about encouraging people to embrace all pleasure: sexual pleasure, pleasure that comes from good mental health, from good physical health and from good social connections. I believe as healthcare professionals, regardless of the field we’re in, we are arbiters to help assist our clients explore and enhance that pleasure, that good health in their lives.”  Rodney shares personal experiences as an HIV/STI testing specialist, addressing the impact of stigma and the importance of open communication. 

Download the transcript of this episode.

Resources from Rodney:

Beyond the Red Ribbon training & other services: https://rodneymccoy.info/services

Listen to Daddy Podcast on YouTube

Bio:

Rodney “Rod” McCoy, Jr. brings his expertise of nearly four decades in HIV prevention and education, as well as his real-life experience as an African American gay/queer man living with HIV. An Oberlin College graduate with his Bachelors in Sociology and Black Studies, Rod has worked in a variety of capacities in the field of HIV Prevention, from Health Educator and HIV Counselor to Program Director. As an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University, Rod established the “HIV, Culture and Sexuality” course for the school’s Global and Community Health Department. Rod created a sex positivity training for public health professionals called Beyond the Red Ribbon in collaboration with Louis Shackelford of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. He currently works at Us Helping Us in Washington, DC, as a Research Assistant. 

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