======Handshake Activity Disease Transmission======


<WRAP right box>
**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
\\
**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
\\


**Alternative titles:** Condom and Handshake Activity
</WRAP>

====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}



====Procedure====  
  - Give one student a rubber glove to wear, representing a condom.  
  - Have all students move around the room and shake hands with at least three other students, remembering who they shook hands with.  
  - Explain that each handshake represents sexual contact.  
  - Select one student to represent a person infected with an STI (e.g., chlamydia). Have this student and anyone who shook hands with them sit down.  
  - Continue with anyone who shook hands with those seated until the infection has spread to multiple students.  
  - Repeat the process with another STI, such as gonorrhea or herpes.  
  - Highlight that the student wearing a glove (condom) remains uninfected.  
  - Conclude by discussing the ease of STI transmission, the importance of testing, and preventive strategies.



====Links==== 
📄 Handshake activity - shvic.org: [[https://shvic.org.au/assets/resources/Grade_7and8_Handshake-activity.-STIs.pdf]]\\

📄 HANDSHAKE GAMES - Play Safe: [[https://pro.playsafe.health.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/S3_ACTIVITY_HANDSHAKE_April2018_v1_final.pdf]]\\


====Variations====
  * Increase or decrease the number of "partners" to simulate different risk levels.  
  * Use multiple students with different starting STIs to simulate overlapping infections.  
  * Provide more details about each STI (bacterial, viral, parasitic).  
  * Link to real-world prevention strategies such as condom use, regular STI testing, and abstinence.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Ensure students understand that this is a simulation and does not stigmatize individuals.  
  * Be mindful of sensitivity around sexual health topics; use age-appropriate language.  
  * Encourage respectful participation and discussion.




====Questions to Consider====
  * If a person has never had sex, can they still have an STI? (Yes, some STIs can spread through non-sexual means such as blood products, childbirth, or sharing needles.)  
  * Why is it important to get tested even if you don’t have symptoms? (Many STIs are asymptomatic and can cause long-term health issues if untreated.)  
  * How does using a condom reduce the risk of STI transmission? (It acts as a barrier preventing direct contact and fluid exchange.)  
  * What are some reasons people may not use condoms, and how can these barriers be overcome?  
  * Do same-sex couples need to use condoms or barriers? (Yes, STIs can spread through any intimate sexual contact, regardless of gender.)  
  * How does abstinence protect against STIs? (No sexual contact means no exposure to sexually transmitted infections.)