性傳播疾病的預防：行為的改變
STD
Prevention: Behavior Change |
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節欲-道德價值與社會責任
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從宗教的觀點看，性傳播疾病由罪惡行為傳播，但是，象所有其他罪過一樣，罪惡行為最終也可以被饒恕。可是，從公共健康的角度看，無論人們如何看待它，這些行為會導致疾病流行的事實，必須儘快地做出處理。保護公共健康因而是一個完全不同於拯救靈魂的任務。一旦衛生官員被召喚起來去阻止性傳播疾病的流行，採取實際工作和迅速做出反應則是他們的責任。他們實際上必須要面對事實和不可能去審判所涉及的性的事件。如果他們想要獲得成功，他們需要所有高危行為者的合作，而且必須按照合作者根據自我的主張來展開，無論對宗教信徒還是對非宗教信徒，無論對“貞潔者”還是對“不貞潔者”，衛生官員都需要按照他們的實際情況做出選擇。所以，不管個人的疑問如何，除了節欲以外，公共健康的維護者們必須推動其他可能奏效的所有預防措施。 |
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公共衛生政策
左：普通外科協會印章。右（上）：位於佐治亞州亞特蘭大的美國疾病預防與控制中心出版的主要的流行病學雜誌；右（下）：也是由佐治亞州創辦的流行病學互連網站。（點擊圖示）
Public Health Policy
Left: Seal of the U.S. Surgeon General. Right (top): The leading epidemiological journal published by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Right (bottom): An epidemiological internet resource, also originating in the state of Georgia, USA. (Click on logos.)
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Abstinence - Moral Values and Public Duties
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From a religious point of view, STDs are spread by sinful behavior, but, like all other sins, it can eventually be forgiven. However, from the standpoint of public health, the behavior, whatever one thinks of it, creates epidemiological facts that have to be dealt with as soon as possible. Protecting public health is therefore a task quite different from that of saving souls. Once health officials are called upon to stop an STD epidemic, it is their duty to be practical and to act quickly. They must face the realities as they are and cannot afford to be judgemental in sexual matters. If they want to succeed, they need the cooperation of all those at risk, and these must be met on their own terms - believers and non-believers, the “chaste” and the “unchaste”. Therefore, in addition to abstinence, the protectors of public health must promote all other prevention methods that might work, in spite of possible personal reservations. |
