Sexual Health Alliance of Linn County

04/17/2026

Gay and bis*xual men, as well as other men who have s*x with men (MSM) might be considered high-risk for mpox if, in the past 6 months, they have had one of the following risk factors:

📍a s*x partner in the past 2 weeks who was diagnosed with mpox
📍known or suspected exposure to someone with mpox
📍a new diagnosis of one or more s*xually transmitted infection(s)
📍more than one s*x partner
📍s*x at a commercial s*x venue
📍s*x in association with a large public event in a geographic area where mpox transmission is occurring

Talk to your healthcare provider to see if the mpox vaccine is right for you!

The mpox vaccine is very safe. Over 1 million doses have been given. Side effects usually don't occur or they're mild, like body aches or soreness in the arm.

Learn more: https://www.cdc.gov/monkeypox/vaccines/index.html

04/16/2026

The reality is... half of s*xually active people will get an STI by the age of 25.
The reality is... most STIs don't show any symptoms (but are still bad news for your health!!)

This , it's time we all learn how to have "the talk" with partners about testing.

The folks over at Own the Awk have videos, scripts, convo starters, and more. Check them out at OwnTheAwk.org.

Want to know where you and your partner can get tested? Call up your primary care doctor! You can also go to Linn County Public Health (LCPH), which is a member of the S*xual Health Alliance of Linn County.

LCPH has walk-in STI testing during the following hours:

Monday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

04/15/2026

Bringing up STIs and HIV with a partner isn't always easy. Having a few ready-to-go responses for common pushbacks can help you feel more confident and prepared.

Here are our examples:

Partner: "I feel fine. If I had something, I would know."
Comeback: "Many STIs don't show symptoms. That's why regular testing and using protection is so important."

Partner: "I'm clean and don't have any diseases. Don't you trust me?"
Comback: "It's not about trust. It's about biology. Anyone can get an STI and not even know it. Testing is the only way to know for sure."

Partner: "I'm on PrEP, so why do we need condoms?"
Comeback: "PrEP can only prevent HIV. Condoms help protect against other STIs, like gonorrhea or syphilis."

Remember!! If someone dismisses your concerns or ignores your boundaries, that's a red flag. 🚩

A partner shouldn't ask you to risk your s*xual health.

04/14/2026

It was protection at first wear! The S*xual Health Alliance loves condoms for their ability to protect against STIs and unplanned pregnancies. They're easy to access and there are many different kinds to choose from. Flavors, textures, sizes—you name it!

But! Condoms are only effective if used correctly. Not sure how to do that? Check out the instructions below.

1. Handle with care
Tear open the package carefully. Do not use fingernails, teeth, or anything that could damage the condom. Use a new condom for each s*x act. Never reuse condoms. Reuse of condoms can result in condom breakage, risk of pregnancy, and STIs.

2. Prepare
Remove the condom from the package and apply a small amount of lubricant to the inside tip. The use of additional lubricants during vaginal and/or a**l s*x can reduce the risk of breakage.

3. Put on
Before any s*xual contact, place the condom on the head of the erect p***s with the rolled side out. If the p***s is not circumcised, pull the fo****in back before putting the condom on. Pinch the receptacle tip of the condom between your thumb and forefinger. This prevents air from becoming trapped at the tip of the condom and leaves an empty space to collect semen.

4. Unroll
Unroll the condom down to the base of the p***s with your other hand. If the condom doesn’t unroll easily, it may be on backwards, damaged, or too old. Throw it away and start over with a new condom. Stop and check if the condom is slipping off or tightening excessively onto the p***s as this might lead to breakage. If the condom is too loose, or too tight, try a different condom size.

There you have it, folks. No matter what you're doing with whom.. fall in love with using a condom each time!

04/13/2026

New syphilis cases in Iowa have risen 1,365% from 2011 to 2024.

Read that again: 1,365%.

Gay and bis*xual men, along with other men who have s*x with men (MSM) are disproportionally impacted by STIs, including syphilis. However, we are seeing increased syphilis transmission among heteros*xual populations.

What does this mean for you? You should take action to protect yourself!
📍Reduce your number of s*x partners.
📍Use condoms every time you have s*x.
📍Get tested regularly.

Need to get tested? Call your primary care doctor. Linn County Public Health also offers walk-in STI testing.

Want to explore the data for yourself? Check it out here: https://data.idph.state.ia.us/t/IDPH-DataViz/views/Syphilis/Syphilis_1?iframeSizedToWindow=true&%3Aembed=y&%3AshowAppBanner=false&%3Adisplay_count=no&%3AshowVizHome=no&%3Arender=false

04/12/2026

STI Awareness week is April 12-18. Stay tuned this week as we talk about STI prevention, testing, and treatment. You might be surprised at what you learn!

04/19/2025

It's the final day of STI Awareness Week.

It's one thing to be aware of STIs... but it's another thing to have a conversation with your partner(s) about getting tested.

Check out this video 👇 to learn how to navigate the Test Talk.

Keeping it real about s*xually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, testing, and results helps you and your partner(s) stay healthy, reduce worries, and g...

04/17/2025

Three small actions. A big impact on your s*xual health.

Talk. Test. Treat.

Not sure how to do those things?

Learn more: https://www.cdc.gov/sti-awareness/talktesttreat/individuals.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/std/saw/talktesttreat/individuals.htm

04/16/2025

S*x isn't always planned. That's why it's good to be ready *before* you're in the heat of the moment. 🔥🔥🔥

Be intentional about your s*xual health and have a "game plan" of how to protect yourself from STIs.

Having a plan in place means you'll be ready when the moment is right.

Want to know if your game plan is up to s***f? Take the "Prepare Before You're There" quiz to see if you're at risk for an STI: https://www.cdc.gov/sti-awareness/pbyt/quiz.htm

04/14/2025

For the second day of STI Awareness Week, we're taking a look at the stats. 📊

CDC data from 2023 is the most recent data we have.

The number of STI cases dropped slightly from 2022 to 2023, including a continued decline in gonorrhea. While this is encouraging, there's more to do.

Regular testing, treatment, and prevention are key!

You can dig into the numbers more here: https://www.cdc.gov/sti-statistics/annual/summary.html

And, you can learn more about STI prevention here: https://bit.ly/3RQAbmP

04/14/2025

Welcome to STI Awareness Week, April 13–19.

Let's kick off the week by talking about one of the ways to prevent the spread of STIs: condoms.

Condoms play a central role in HIV & STI prevention because they
are highly effective, readily available, and affordable.

Check out the video below👇to hear perspectives on how condoms allow for a mix of pleasure and protection.

Getting on the same page about safer s*x can help you reduce worries, stay healthy, and enjoy a better s*x life. Learn more at OwnTheAwk.org