No Protection: Untested and Undiagnosed Genital Herpes in America

Abstract

The majority of people who have genital herpes do not know it. This sexually transmitted disease can spread asymptomatically, and condoms do not fully protect against it. Despite this, current health policy recommends against genital herpes screening. Part of the justification for this policy stems from a lack of evidence that people’s sexual behavior would change if they knew they had genital herpes. This study examines the relationship between the likelihood of safe sex practices among people living with genital herpes, some of whom know they have it, and some of whom do not. I use National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey health surveillance data and questionnaires to measure the association between people’s awareness of being infected with genital herpes and their condom use or abstinence. I find that no evidence that genital herpes diagnosis is associated with greater probable condom use or sexual abstention. My findings suggest the need for targeted further study.