Study finds 1 in 4 US teens has a STD

[Red Ketchup]

There we go... the results of "abstinance only sex ed"...


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311/...e_me/teen_stds

Study finds 1 in 4 US teens has a STD

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer
Tue Mar 11, 7:27 PM ET

CHICAGO - At least one in four teenage American girls has a sexually transmitted disease, suggests a first-of-its-kind federal study that startled some adolescent-health experts.

Some doctors said the numbers might be a reflection of both abstinence-only sex education and teens' own sense of invulnerabilty. Because some sexually transmitted infections can cause infertility and cancer, U.S. health officials called for better screening, vaccination and prevention.

Only about half of the girls in the study acknowledged having sex. Some teens define sex as only intercourse, yet other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some diseases.

Among those who admitted having sex, the rate was even more disturbing — 40 percent had an STD.

"This is pretty shocking," said Dr. Elizabeth Alderman, an adolescent medicine specialist at Montefiore Medical Center's Children's Hospital in New York.

"To talk about abstinence is not a bad thing," but teen girls — and boys too — need to be informed about how to protect themselves if they do have sex, Alderman said.

The overall STD rate among the 838 girls in the study was 26 percent, which translates to more than 3 million girls nationwide, researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. They released the results Tuesday at an STD prevention conference in Chicago.

"Those numbers are certainly alarming," said sex education expert Nora Gelperin, who works with a teen-written Web site called sexetc.org. She said they reflect "the sad state of sex education in our country."

"Sexuality is still a very taboo subject in our society," she said. "Teens tell us that they can't make decisions in the dark and that adults aren't properly preparing them to make responsible decisions."

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the study shows that "the national policy of promoting abstinence-only programs is a $1.5 billion failure, and teenage girls are paying the real price."

Similar claims were made last year when the government announced the teen birth rate rose between 2005 and 2006, the first increase in 15 years.

The new study by CDC researcher Dr. Sara Forhan relied on slightly older data. It is an analysis of nationally representative records on girls ages 14 to 19 who participated in a 2003-04 government health survey.

The teens were tested for four infections: human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer and affected 18 percent of girls studied; chlamydia, which affected 4 percent; trichomoniasis, 2.5 percent; and genital herpes, 2 percent.

Dr. John Douglas, director of the CDC's division of STD prevention, said the results are the first to examine the combined national prevalence of common sexually transmitted diseases among adolescent girls. He said the data, now a few years old, likely reflect current prevalence rates.

Disease rates were significantly higher among black girls — nearly half had at least one STD, versus 20 percent among both whites and Mexican-Americans.

HPV, the cancer-causing virus, can also cause genital warts but often has no symptoms. A vaccine targeting several HPV strains recently became available, but Douglas said it probably hasn't yet had much impact on HPV prevalence rates in teen girls.

The CDC recommends the three-dose HPV vaccine for girls ages 11-12 and catch-up shots for ages 13-26.

Chlamydia, which often has no symptoms but can lead to infertility, can be treated with antibiotics. The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under age 25. Trichomoniasis, also treatable with antibiotics, can cause abnormal discharge and painful urination. Genital herpes can cause blisters but often has no symptoms. It's not curable but medicine can help.

The CDC's Dr. Kevin Fenton said given the dangers of some STDs, "screening, vaccination and other prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities."

Douglas said screening tests are underused in part because many teens don't think they're at risk, but also, some doctors mistakenly think: "Sexually transmitted diseases don't happen to the kinds of patients I see."

Teens need to hear the dual message that STDs can be prevented by abstinence and condoms, said Dr. Ellen Kruger, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans.

"You've got to hammer at them," with appropriate information at each stage of teen development to make sure it sinks in, she said.

She said there are a lot of myths out there, too — many sexually active teens think the withdrawal method will protect them, or that douching with Coca-Cola will kill STD germs.

Dr. Margaret Blythe, an adolescent medicine specialist at Indiana University School of Medicine, said some doctors hesitate to discuss STDs with teen patients or offer screening because of confidentiality concerns, knowing parents would have to be told of the results.

Blythe, who heads an American Academy of Pediatrics committee on adolescence, noted that the academy supports confidential teen screening.

[thegodfather]

We can thank the Evangelical nuts in the bible belt for this bullshit. The "spiritual" people who make it into public office and outlaw condoms in highschools. Look that shit up out West, its for real. Ha, and we critique those in the Middle East for wanting to live in the stone ages, what a joke...

[Prada]

Yeah I read this yesterday and was quite alarmed. Incredulous

[kfrost06]

We can thank the Evangelical nuts in the bible belt for this bullshit. The "spiritual" people who make it into public office and outlaw condoms in highschools. Look that shit up out West, its for real. Ha, and we critique those in the Middle East for wanting to live in the stone ages, what a joke...

The odd thing is before condoms were handed out in schools, teen pregancy and STDs were at much much lower rates. So please tell me how since we started giving condoms and safe sex courses to elementary kids has the rates gone up? Wasn't that suppose to stop the problem not inflate it? Your hatred of religion is clouding your judgement.

[kfrost06]

I quess we can also assume based on your vile hate filled remarks about religion that parochal schools have higher rates of STDs and teen precnancy, right? You know how the evil repressive Catholic Church refuses to let the school kids have safe sex, they must all be disease ridden.

[Act of God]

We can thank the Evangelical nuts in the bible belt for this bullshit. The "spiritual" people who make it into public office and outlaw condoms in highschools. Look that shit up out West, its for real. Ha, and we critique those in the Middle East for wanting to live in the stone ages, what a joke...

While I don't necessarily disagree, it isn't the Bible belters who are getting the STD's mostly. As noted 50% of all black female teens have STD's, which is staggeringly higher than their white or Hispanic counterparts. These blacks aren't part of the whole Christian conservative right and subject to the evangelical crap that spews out. These are kids living in urban areas, not farmers daughters.

[Act of God]

I quess we can also assume based on your vile hate filled remarks about religion that parochal schools have higher rates of STDs and teen precnancy, right? You know how the evil repressive Catholic Church refuses to let the school kids have safe sex, they must all be disease ridden.

bingo

[Prada]

I really don't see the point of bringing in the religious "aspect" of this article and I don't comprehend on taking it on a tangent. Religious or non-religious, teenagers know about sex and its consequences at an early age. Its their immaturity and as the article states: "and teens' own sense of invulnerability".

[Princes_Gate]

50% of african americans?

Why is it so much higher among them?

[theWiseOne]

condoms suck !

[Panzerfaust]

We can thank the Evangelical nuts in the bible belt for this bullshit. The "spiritual" people who make it into public office and outlaw condoms in highschools. Look that shit up out West, its for real. Ha, and we critique those in the Middle East for wanting to live in the stone ages, what a joke...

I wrote out a very long response to this and goddamn was it good. And then I hirt the wrong goddamn mother****ing button and it erased every goddamn ****ing bit of it.

It went something like this:

It goes alot deeper than that buddy. Don't point the finger at Religion so quick.

This has everything to do with parents no longer being parents, the state is looked to as the parent, education system is shit.

Think about it, back when our parents (50's & 60's and before) were in school. Religion played a important role in American culture and prayer was allowed in school, the pedge of allegiance was allowed. Teachers simply taught the curriculum. Parents guided and raised their children, no one else.

Not to mention they were not bombarded with sexual advertisments 24x7 day in and day out like kids are now. You cannot turn on the TV without seeing some sexual advertising so this goes alot deeper than you proclaiming reliogious factions are screaming for no condoms in school.

Kids today are growing up in such a negative yet extremley stimulating environment, TV & Internet being huge factors in the equation.

One problem people seem to fail to realise is that it is the PARENTS job to oversea their children as they grow and mature. Not the schools, not the states nor the gov't. The PARENTS should be involved in their childs life and activities and in thus doing so can limit their activities and exposure.

Now I'm not being stupid and saying parents can 100% limit or know what their kid is getting into, kids will be kids no matter what generation it is right? But through proper parenting and involvment in the childrens life, alot of this BS that is talked about can be taken care of.

We need to start taking personal responsibility as individuals and stop ****ing pointing the goddamn finger at some scapegoat.

A kid chokes on a toy = Blame the toy manufacturer

A kid swallows glass cleaner = Blame the manufacturer for not making child proof containers

A kid swallows Moms pills = Blame pharmacy for no child safety container

A kid burns the house down = Blame manufacturer for no child proof lighter


We hear this shit all the time, and it is not confined to children, you see people constantly pointing the finger elsewhere and there is absolutely no personal responsibility anymore and it makes me ****ing sick.

Bottom line is this, it all starts at home with Mom & Dad.

[kfrost06]

This has everything to do with parents no longer being parents, the state is looked to as the parent, education system is shit.

One problem people seem to fail to realise is that it is the PARENTS job to oversea their children as they grow and mature. Not the schools, not the states nor the gov't. The PARENTS should be involved in their childs life and activities and in thus doing so can limit their activities and exposure.

I never thought I would say this but muriloninja, that was an excellent post!!!

[Panzerfaust]

I never thought I would say this but muriloninja, that was an excellent post!!!

Shit, you should of saw my first post that got deleted. It was pure gold. Thanks though.

[BgMc31]

The odd thing is before condoms were handed out in schools, teen pregancy and STDs were at much much lower rates. So please tell me how since we started giving condoms and safe sex courses to elementary kids has the rates gone up? Wasn't that suppose to stop the problem not inflate it? Your hatred of religion is clouding your judgement.

Actually abstinence only programs have proven ineffective Kfrost.

You can't compare today to the 50s and 60s. Different time and there aren't many reliable studies of teen pregnancy for those and past eras. Not to mention most teens got married once they found out they were pregnant. Teen marriage was socially accepted then. Of course that has resulted in that generations trend of high divorce rates.

[BgMc31]

While I don't necessarily disagree, it isn't the Bible belters who are getting the STD's mostly. As noted 50% of all black female teens have STD's, which is staggeringly higher than their white or Hispanic counterparts. These blacks aren't part of the whole Christian conservative right and subject to the evangelical crap that spews out. These are kids living in urban areas, not farmers daughters.

1st I'm noticing a trend in your statements Acts. But i'll reserve judgement once I see more responses on race based issues.

Anyway, IMO the study is skewed. While there is no denying the high teen pregnancy rate in the black community, the vast majority of blacks surveyed were inner city youths. But only 20% of our overall population live in the inner city.

As far as a reason why the trend in high among blacks is the tight communities of most non suburban black communtites. People often associate with the same people. Also many in the inner city don't believe utilize the resources available when it comes to condom usage and routine medical care.

Lastly, most black ARE Christian evangelicals believe it or not. The fact that they aren't republicans doesn't make them less faithful. Many black families' including those with a history of early pregnancy still try to preach abstinence and percieved shame that comes with early sexual activity prevents many underpriviledged youth from seeking out the necessary resources.

Abstinence only programs don't work! Only when a teenager is armed with ALL the available resources will they be able to make informed decisions.

My daughter (17) attends a magnet school in the heart of the ghetto. I sent her ther because its a magnet school. But before it was a magnet school and abstinence only programs were taught, it had the highest teen pregnancy rate in Nevada. But once sexual health classes began teaching all aspects of sexuality, now its one of the lowest. And BTW, the schools population is 60%, 15%, 10% black, 10% Asian, 5% other.

[Act of God]

1st I'm noticing a trend in your statements Acts. But i'll reserve judgement once I see more responses on race based issues.

Anyway, IMO the study is skewed. While there is no denying the high teen pregnancy rate in the black community, the vast majority of blacks surveyed were inner city youths. But only 20% of our overall population live in the inner city.

As far as a reason why the trend in high among blacks is the tight communities of most non suburban black communtites. People often associate with the same people. Also many in the inner city don't believe utilize the resources available when it comes to condom usage and routine medical care.

Lastly, most black ARE Christian evangelicals believe it or not. The fact that they aren't republicans doesn't make them less faithful. Many black families' including those with a history of early pregnancy still try to preach abstinence and percieved shame that comes with early sexual activity prevents many underpriviledged youth from seeking out the necessary resources.

Abstinence only programs don't work! Only when a teenager is armed with ALL the available resources will they be able to make informed decisions.

My daughter (17) attends a magnet school in the heart of the ghetto. I sent her ther because its a magnet school. But before it was a magnet school and abstinence only programs were taught, it had the highest teen pregnancy rate in Nevada. But once sexual health classes began teaching all aspects of sexuality, now its one of the lowest. And BTW, the schools population is 60%, 15%, 10% black, 10% Asian, 5% other.

Get off my nuts. I'm not going to concede arguments to you just because you pull the black card. You want to know the trend? EDUCATION

Uneducated people get knocked up and drop out of school, furthering their ignorance. Then, they have more kids they can't pay for because they are idiots. Then, they have to work extra jobs to pay for everything and they are absentee parents. The cycle continues.

Edit: Waiting patiently for you to drop the word racist just so you can make yourself feel better. I'll remember to tiptoe and sugar coat everything around you from now on...don't you worry

[BgMc31]

Get off my nuts. I'm not going to concede arguments to you just because you pull the black card. You want to know the trend? EDUCATION

Uneducated people get knocked up and drop out of school, furthering their ignorance. Then, they have more kids they can't pay for because they are idiots. Then, they have to work extra jobs to pay for everything and they are absentee parents. The cycle continues.

Edit: Waiting patiently for you to drop the word racist just so you can make yourself feel better. I'll remember to tiptoe and sugar coat everything around you from now on...don't you worry

Settle down cowboy!!! Remember you brought up the black issue not me. And if you so hypersensitive to being challenged then you should relax. I don't think you're a racist. If I did think you were a racist, I would have called you one!!! I've done it to others here before. I just think you're a little misguided in your beliefs. If those are your beliefs, fine... I could give a shit. I just like a good debate. If you don't like what I say, don't respond, toughguy!

[thegodfather]

It was a little premature for me to bring religion into this. I did so because I responded to another thread right before I saw this one, and it was quite easy for me to connect the dots to an article I read previously.

[gixxerboy1]

3 out of 4 dont have an std

[Act of God]

3 out of 4 dont have an std

Better odds than playing lotto, or even a coin flip!

[lotaquestions]

i belive that premarital sex should be against the law and you should be required to take an exam every semester of school(high and college) and if you test positive and continue to sleep around it should be attepted murder.

after we inforce this law we should take every one with aids and give them their own island (with every thing: hospitals, movies, malls and starbucks) and let them live out the rest of their lives there.

[lotaquestions]

Settle down cowboy!!! Remember you brought up the black issue not me. And if you so hypersensitive to being challenged then you should relax. I don't think you're a racist. If I did think you were a racist, I would have called you one!!! I've done it to others here before. I just think you're a little misguided in your beliefs. If those are your beliefs, fine... I could give a shit. I just like a good debate. If you don't like what I say, don't respond, toughguy!

i have been enjoying yalls debate, good post by both.

[thegodfather]

i belive that premarital sex should be against the law and you should be required to take an exam every semester of school(high and college) and if you test positive and continue to sleep around it should be attepted murder.

after we inforce this law we should take every one with aids and give them their own island (with every thing: hospitals, movies, malls and starbucks) and let them live out the rest of their lives there.

Was that a joke?

[bruteman]

Oh, they are everywhere nowadays. We didn't nip that in the bud when it first came over here and now it is full blown everywhere, and sooner or later you will most likely have to deal with them, unless you just don't have sex. I can't tell you how many people I know on Valtrex or Acyclovir or what not.

And, I tell you what else, the better looking the girl, the more likelihood she had an STD. No one wants to sleep with the ugly girls. Everyone wants to bang the hot girls. They are the ones who have the most STD's.

[bruteman]

Was that a joke?

I am completely for premarital sex, but aside from that I agree with everything else he said. If it were realistically feasible, I'd be totally for it.