This vision and the committee's proposed model for improving STD prevention are founded on a multifaceted approach to prevention, shared responsibility and active participation by individuals and the community, coordination of related programs, and adequate resources and support for implementation.
To realize this vision, the committee recommends that:
The committee envisions a system based on national policy, coordinated at all levels, and composed of local, state, and national prevention programs. A national system is essential because STDs are a threat to the nation's health, because many interventions are most effectively or efficiently developed and implemented at the national level, and because STDs do not recognize geographic borders.
To establish a national system for STD prevention, the committee recommends four major strategies for public and private sector policymakers at the local, state, and national levels:
Before describing the recommended tactics for these four strategies, the committee makes the following recommendations regarding two important concepts that need to be incorporated into a national strategy to prevent STDs: the impact of STDs on HIV transmission and the impact of STDs on cancer.
Barriers to effective STD prevention efforts include biological, social, and