Supporters of a ballot measure to require condoms on porn shoots released an independent study Thursday that found undiagnosed sexually transmitted diseases may be more common in the adult film industry than previously reported.
The study, released to reporters by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and to be published in December in the Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, found that roughly a third of the 168 adult film actors who participated in the research project were found to have a previously undiagnosed STD.
"One important finding of this study is that performers had more undiagnosed infections than previously thought and were thus more likely to transmit these infections despite compliance with screening standards common to the industry," according to the authors of the study.
The findings seem to contradict arguments by the adult film industry that its rate of disease is no higher than the general population because of a rigorous program of monthly testing and prohibiting infected performers from working until they are treated.
Clients who consented to be involved with the study were those who tested monthly for sexually transmitted diseases at West Oaks Urgent Care Center in Canoga Park, said Christina Rodriguez-Hart, the lead author of the study.
Researchers followed the 168 patients -- 112 women and 56 men -- from mid-May to mid-September 2010.
To be eligible, those tested had to have worked in the adult film
industry within the prior 12 months, Rodriguez-Hart said.
Of those patients they followed, researchers found that 47 of them had at least one sexually transmitted disease, mostly gonorrhea, contracted through oral or rectal sex. And 18 women had oral, anal and vaginal infections at the same time.
Of those 47 people, 11 would not have been diagnosed through the industry's testing method, based on urine samples alone. More rigorous testing involves swabs from various areas of the body involved in sexual contact.
The authors of the study said the results prove that the adult film industry's standard of detecting sexually transmitted disease through urine-only testing can result in infections going undiagnosed.
"It's safe to say with performers that because they are involved in multiple sexual acts with all anatomical parts, that all those parts should be tested," Rodriguez-Hart said.
The study was approved by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health institutional review board, according to the study.
Rodriguez-Hart said researchers received a stipend through the health department as well as testing equipment.
"The findings in this study speak very clearly to the need for increased protection and enforcement in this industry," said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
The foundation is the primary backer of Measure B, which is on Tuesday's ballot. The measure would require the county health department to license and permit adult movie productions in the county and require performers to wear condoms.
But groups opposed to Measure B questioned the timing of the release of the study less a week from Election Day. They said the research is based on old data.
"It's a cynical attempt at a last-ditch effort to influence voters who have already decided to vote against Measure B due in large part to the overwhelming endorsements of newspapers, political parties, business groups, health care organizations and community advocates," said James Lee, spokesman for the No on Government Waste Committee.
The Free Speech Coalition, the trade group that represents the adult film industry, oversees testing for performers and is also opposed to Measure B.
They and their supporters say the program that allows adult film performers to test for HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia every 28 days or more often has been the industry's best deterrent. If condoms are used, that testing may stop.
Meanwhile, publishers of the journal where the research paper will appear said the study was not published to coincide with discussions of Measure B, and there was no mention in the cover letter of the ballot initiative.
"It wasn't sent to us because of the measure that was on the ballot," said assistant editor Jeanne Moncada. "We receive manuscripts online. It was sent as a regular manuscript."
"Our journal has a roughly 77 percent rejection rate," she said. "This paper was reviewed highly."
But Rodriguez-Hart said the online version was to be released the second week of November. She asked the editors to release it earlier. She said she is a supporter of adult film actors using condoms on porn shoots.
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