Condom use, screening strategies, and real-world safer sex practices

This cluster explores how sexually transmitted infections are being prevented and managed across different contexts—from digital behavior-change tools for men and clinic-based prevention in the US, to risk factors like low condom use in Nigeria. Articles highlight both good practice, such as Auckland sex workers’ professional condom use, and emerging threats, including harmful social media trends like using coconut oil with condoms and rising STI importation through travel. There is also debate about how much asymptomatic screening men who have sex with men should receive, balancing resource use with the need to catch silent infections. Overall, the posts underscore that effective STI prevention hinges on consistent condom use, evidence-based screening policies, and clear public health communication.