[Cultural identification of patients with sexually transmitted diseases]

The authors considered psychological problems concerning the communication to patients about a diagnosis of Sexual Transmitted Disease and particularly of HPV disease. In the past this sort of affection was related to some well identified social groups, but with the recent changes in sexual behavior, cultural and moral principles, the reference models are changed too. Consequently today it is difficult to recognize a rigid identification. However it is still possible that during the communication of the diagnosis the physician unconsciously transfers to the patient "his" classification with a given model among the groups of STD affected. This is particularly true for the gynecologist that is reporting on HPV infection or disease. Therefore the physician has to pay a great attention to the way he communicates, because in addition to the clinical concept there are psychological effects on the patient and on her relationships that could result iatrogenic.