Shocking: 1 in 4 Teenage Girls Has an STD
Posted by Rachel on March 11, 2008
A CDC study was released today at the 2008 National STD Prevention Conference that reported that, among 800+ girls ages 14-19 examined in 2003-2004 for chlamydia, HPV, herpes, and trichomonas, nearly 26% had at least one of these sexually transmitted infections. 1 in 4. Seriously. And they didn’t even count HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis… Yikes.
Among those with any STD, 15% had more than one, and nearly 25% had bacterial vaginosis, regardless of reported sexual activity.
Strangely, the rate was 39.5% among those who actually admitted having sex, so a percentage of these girls both had a sexually transmitted infection and denied having had sex. I’m assuming that some were lying, and some simply weren’t counting oral sex and the like.
The full study isn’t available yet, but the abstract is online, as is a related press release. Now, about that abstinence-only sex ed…
naomidagenbloom said
this is so disturbing. i wish more grandmothers like me would get informed about this. my two granddaughters are under three and i’m very unsettled about the Gardisil issue.
in truth it was yesterday that i came here because i’d just heard this latest bad news. and got distracted by your post about carnival of pozitivities…thanks again. definitely in favor of “shameless self-promotion” and voted for your voice.
naomi
Abstinence Only Puts Too Many Women at Risk, Bring Back Comprehensive Sexual Education « The Crone Speaks said
[...] Rachel notes: And they didn’t even count HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis… [...]
Now how, exactly would this work? : KnoxvilleTalks.com said
[...] Walden notes a rather bizarre inconsistency in the now-widely reported stat that 1-in-4 teen girls has some sort of STD: Strangely, the rate [...]
Caitlain said
This, of course, shouldn’t be a shock to anyone. With the advent of “abstinence only” sex ed (which, obviously, based on this article among other things, isn’t working), we no longer teach teens how to protect themselves from disease (and pregnancy).
Rachel said
Caitlain, but I really, really want it to be a shock instead of expected, you know? And I definitely don’t think we’re going to get there if we keep telling kids as little as we’re telling them now.
Caitlain said
Oh, I definitely agree. It *should* be a shock, and it probably is to the average American. Sadly, even if it was shocking to policy makers, they still won’t be able to grow the gonads to actually do anything about it. It is so sad that politicians allow ideology to usurp public health. That should be criminal.