ChuckD
The Gay Lord of Freestyle
Legally recognizing lesbian and gay relationships could be a key weapon in the fight against sexually transmitted infections, particularly syphilis, research suggests.
A study of countries that allow same-sex marriage or offer civil unions to lesbian and gay couples has shown that rates of syphilis sharply dropped.
Smaller drops were seen in gonorrhea and HIV rates, although research author Thomas Dee said these are less significant.
Dee studied 12 countries across Europe that introduced some sort of legal recognition for lesbian and gay couples between 1989 and 2003.
Although Belgium and the Netherlands are the only two countries to allow full marriage rights, others offer some sort of protection and rights usually afforded only to married couples.
Syphilis rates in the 12 countries dropped by 24 percent, he found.
Dee, an assistant professor of economics at Swarthmore College in the United States, said the results suggest the introduction of marriage rights for same-sex couples reduces the amount of casual sex.
"The evidence shows these laws could dramatically reduce risky sexual behavior and the social costs of some sexually transmitted infections," he said. "However, the results may be even more important because of what they suggest are the likely effects of gay marriage on the degree of personal commitment in same-sex relationships."
The report will be published in the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research this month.
A study of countries that allow same-sex marriage or offer civil unions to lesbian and gay couples has shown that rates of syphilis sharply dropped.
Smaller drops were seen in gonorrhea and HIV rates, although research author Thomas Dee said these are less significant.
Dee studied 12 countries across Europe that introduced some sort of legal recognition for lesbian and gay couples between 1989 and 2003.
Although Belgium and the Netherlands are the only two countries to allow full marriage rights, others offer some sort of protection and rights usually afforded only to married couples.
Syphilis rates in the 12 countries dropped by 24 percent, he found.
Dee, an assistant professor of economics at Swarthmore College in the United States, said the results suggest the introduction of marriage rights for same-sex couples reduces the amount of casual sex.
"The evidence shows these laws could dramatically reduce risky sexual behavior and the social costs of some sexually transmitted infections," he said. "However, the results may be even more important because of what they suggest are the likely effects of gay marriage on the degree of personal commitment in same-sex relationships."
The report will be published in the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research this month.