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Input Variables

Age

Enter your age in years. Due to available data, most accurate if between 14-50.

Biological Sex

Choose your biological sex

Race

Choose the race that best describes you. Other is avaible but likely less accurate due to sample size

Age you lost your virginity

In years, at what age did you lose your virginity (oral sex included). If you are a virgin your chance is likely 0% and this calculator is not accurate for you.

Number of sexual partners

Enter number of sexual partners, including oral sex, you have had in your lifetime.

College Grad

Did you graduate college. Yes can be checked if you are certain you will attend and graduate college at a later date.

Are you insure?

Do you have health insurance?

>12 drinks in your life?

Have you had more than 12 alcoholic drinks throughout your lifetime?

Ever Used Pot

Have you ever used marijuana in any form?

Ever used hard drugs?

Inluding cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, injected illicit drugs

Currently in a long term relationship?

Are you currently in a long-term monogamous relationship?

Were you in the military?

Are you or have you served in the military?

Income

What is your household income in US dollars?

Why were these questions used in the calculator?

Variables were chosen in an unbiased fashion. The large dataset from CDC NHANES contained many demographic and questionnaire data. Variables were chosen on whether they were significantly correlated to individuals having the herpes virus.

The NHANES questionnaire was a broad survey and did not ask questions directly related to Herpes. While these variables are correlated, none of these inputs should be interpreted as a causative on Herpes prevalence and chance. If the questionnaire included more questions involving the spread of Herpes, the would likely be included in the calculator.

Understanding the Output

Bar Graph

The bar graph shows the variable inputs you provided as compared to the averages from the dataset. A lower age of lost virginity is correlated to an increased chance of having HSV2. A higher number of lifetime partners is correlated with an increased chance of having HSV2.

Line graph

The line graph shows three lines. The extrapolated averages based on the most recent CDC Herpes prevalence statistics is shown in grey. This line is not based on the calculator and is from different years due to the availability of released CDC data. The blue line shows your chance to have herpes over time with only age as an increasing factor. The purple line takes into account the average partners per year you have had since losing your virginity and uses that value to extrapolate how many partners you will have in the future (‘partners per year’ = ‘life time partners’/(‘age’ - ‘age you lost virginity’)). Note: many assumptions are made in this future Herpes chance extrapolation and likely not to be as accurate.

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