And this is why there should be more sex-ed...

[Deadly_Nightshade]

STDs rife among US teenage girls

 

HPV, which can cause cancer, was found to be the most common STD

 

One in four teenage girls in the United States has a sexually-transmitted disease, a study has indicated.

The study, by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found an even higher prevalence of STDs among black girls.

 

Researchers analysed data from a nationally representative sample of 838 US girls aged 14 to 19.

 

A virus that causes cervical cancer - HPV - was the most common, followed by chlamydia, trichomoniasis and herpes.

 

The CDC says the study is the first in its kind to examine the prevalence of common sexually transmitted diseases among adolescent girls.

 

It found that nearly half of the African-American girls surveyed had at least one STD, while the rate was 20% among white and Mexican-American teenagers.

 

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, affected 18% of the girls surveyed, chlamydia 4%, trichomoniasis 2.5%, and herpes simplex virus 2%.

 

Screening recommended

 

The CDC's Devin Fenton said it was a serious issue because the diseases could lead to infertility and cervical cancer.

 

"Screening, vaccination and other prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities," he said.

 

The CDC is recommending annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under 25, and HPV vaccines for girls aged 11 to 12, followed by booster injections.

 

John Douglas, the CDC's head of STD prevention, says screenings are underused because teenagers often do not think they are at risk.

 

Analysts say some doctors are also reluctant to discuss screening with teenage patients because of confidentiality concerns, knowing parents would have to be told of the results.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7290088.stm

[Gfted1]

25%!! Wow, thats seems excessivly high.

 

*Note to self: Lock daughter in house in 6 years.*

[Tale]

That's fine. I'm at the age where even legal teenage girls can be a bit of a taboo.

[Hurlshort]

That's fine. I'm at the age where even legal teenage girls can be a bit of a taboo.

 

Is that another way of saying you have no game? Wow, I'm shocked.

[walkerguy]

...HPV vaccines for girls aged 11 to 12, followed by booster injections...

 

LOL. Typo or does the shot just last through the years...?

[Deadly_Nightshade]

...HPV vaccines for girls aged 11 to 12, followed by booster injections...

 

LOL. Typo or does the shot just last through the years...?

 

I think it lasts for around five-ten years before you need to think about getting a booster, although I might be wrong.

[walkerguy]

I think it lasts for around five-ten years before you need to think about getting a booster, although I might be wrong.

 

Some of the girls will be like, "Whats this for mommy?"

What do you say? Oh, in case you have sex in a few years??

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Some of the girls will be like, "Whats this for mommy?"

What do you say? Oh, in case you have sex in a few years??

 

Lie, tell the truth, I don't really care - that's up to the parents and not myself.

[Shryke]

That's fine. I'm at the age where even legal teenage girls can be a bit of a taboo.

 

old man

 

that raises another minor question i guess. how big an age difference is too big?

 

i think the biggest i've had was 6 years (older than me)

[Nick_i_am]

So the average is 25% because the white and hispanic average is 12%, but the black average is 50%? hahhaahha.

[Azarkon]

Err, I'm pretty sure it said 20% for whites and Mexican-Americans. That works out to be around the right number.

 

(Wonder what it is for Asians?)

[Krookie]

Why, are you Asian?

[Azarkon]

Why not?

[Krookie]

What the hell does that mean? I was just wondering if you were Asian.

[Azarkon]

Why does me being Asian or not affect my desire to know what the numbers are for Asian-Americans? A "representative sample" of Americans that does not include one of the major ethnic minorities seems a little suspicious, particularly as the article seems to go out of its way to divide people into groups. Why not Asian-Americans, then?

[samm]

Hell, are they over-dramatizing HPV... Probably some pharma-giant needs some money. Easiest precaution: Use condoms or keep hygienic (main cause of HPV if I remember my biology-class correctly: men not cleaning under their foreskin produce a substance there that nurtures the virus ideally). Also, they count herpes in in their percentage. Now, iirc herpes virus is present in the blood of >90% of all humans. Is it only counted as STD when appearing in any region fitting that description, or is the STD-version a different virus?

 

Anyway, I think the youth is more uninformed now than in the past because of clueless parents, tabooing the real theme while being over-sexed by media etc. May they learn from it.

Edited March 11, 2008 by samm

[Deadly_Nightshade]

And the current push, mainly from religious groups, for abstinence-only sexual education is not helping the situation.

[Krookie]

Why does me being Asian or not affect my desire to know what the numbers are for Asian-Americans? A "representative sample" of Americans that does not include one of the major ethnic minorities seems a little suspicious, particularly as the article seems to go out of its way to divide people into groups. Why not Asian-Americans, then?

 

I dub you Hades+5

 

Actually no, you're like 55 times more annoying than Hades ever was, or will be.

[BIOShazard]

And the current push, mainly from religious groups, for abstinence-only sexual education is not helping the situation.

Abstinence is just stupid. If you(or your daughter/sister) wants to have underage *horn honks*, then its her problem if her boyfriend had STDs on his *horn honks*

It just pushes girls into doing it. It's like Reverse Psychology. If you tell a girl not to have el sexo, then she'll just want to do it more.

*Note - the Term el sexo is a term that a popular radio host in my area says when he refers to the first horn honk, not a racist jab*

[Azarkon]

I dub you Hades+5

 

Actually no, you're like 55 times more annoying than Hades ever was, or will be.

 

*shrug* I'm not going to banter words with a 16-year old kid who's miffed that he lost the last exchange and decided that he hates me as a result. Your future posts will be ignored, from now on, unless they contain actual value.

[Krookie]

Seriously, I just asked if you were Asian. If you hung around here more often you'd know that everyone seems pretty cool with one another, or at least to he point where you can ask where someone is from/their nationality without some BS response. I'm just going to assume that you're embarrassed about being Asian so, you could have just said "No". I'd never know.

Edited March 12, 2008 by Krookie

[Kelverin]

So what were the % numbers before they started sex ed in school? I would guess it was no where near 25%.

 

So yes more sex education in school is a fantastic idea.

[Nick_i_am]

Whites, African americans and hispanics are the three biggest ethnic groups in america. Obviously the article didn't feel the need to expand further than that.

[Krookie]

No, Azarkan DEMANDS ASIANS.

[kumquatq3]

Nobody asks me if I'm asian....