Sexually Transmitted Infections, Sexual and Reproductive Coercion: Report from Russia

What is it about?

There is no reliable statistics about the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Russia because many people concealed the disease, gonorrhea in particular, and practiced self-treatment. The main reason has been the lengthy and unpleasant therapy in the dermatovenereological dispensaries (prevention and treatment centers). Responsible individuals administered themselves regular courses of antibiotics, but others treated themselves inadequately and continued spreading STI. Thanks to the free internet resources, many guidelines are adjusted to the international standards today. However, the human factor has remained largely unchanged, so that a relapse of suboptimal practices and policies is not excluded. Several extracts from instructions by the Ministry of Health, handbooks and manuals recommending invasive methods of therapy and provocation are discussed here. It is too early to discard the topical therapy of gonorrhea. There are concerns that some infections may become untreatable by antibiotics. One of the factors contributing to antimicrobial resistance is the use of antibiotics in the cattle feeding, addition of antibiotics to milk and other perishable foodstuff in this country. Irresponsible use of antibiotics beyond their evidence-based medical applications may accelerate the acquisition of resistance by different microbial populations. Furthermore, some aspects of sexual and reproductive coercion are discussed here.

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