Ignorance of Sexual Diseases Is Cited

WASHINGTON — Americans don’t know their risk for sexually transmitted diseases or their partners’ sexual histories and consequently don’t protect themselves, says a survey to be released today.

The survey, funded by pharmaceutical giant Burroughs Wellcome Co., found 75% of Americans don’t believe they could catch a sexually transmitted disease, even though doctors diagnose 12 million new cases, excluding AIDS, every year.

Burroughs manufactures drugs for treating the diseases.

The survey marks the release of a new booklet, developed by a coalition of medical organizations, with explicit instructions for detecting the often-hidden symptoms of sexual diseases. The government says 1 in 4 Americans may get a sexually transmitted disease, which left untreated can cause infertility or even death.

The survey of 1,000 adults, conducted by EDK Associates, found that a fourth didn’t know their partner’s sexual history, which is critical to determining the risk of disease.