1 in 4 teen girls has an STD

**Ironduke** · 03-12-2008, 04:37 AM

This is shocking as hell.

Quote:

1 in 4 teen girls has an STD

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- At least one in four teenage girls nationwide has a sexually transmitted disease, or more than 3 million teens, according to the first study of its kind in this age group.

A virus that causes cervical cancer is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in teen girls aged 14 to 19, while the highest overall prevalence is among black girls -- nearly half the blacks studied had at least one STD. That rate compared with 20 percent among both whites and Mexican-American teens, the study from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

About half of the girls acknowledged having sex; among them, the rate was 40 percent. While some teens define sex as only intercourse, other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some infections.

For many, the numbers most likely seem "overwhelming because you're talking about nearly half of the sexually experienced teens at any one time having evidence of an STD," said Dr. Margaret Blythe, an adolescent medicine specialist at Indiana University School of Medicine and head of the American Academy of Pediatrics' committee on adolescence.

But the study highlights what many doctors who treat teens see every day, Blythe said.

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, from 2003-04, probably reflect current rates of infection.

"High STD rates among young women, particularly African-American young women, are clear signs that we must continue developing ways to reach those most at risk," Douglas said.

The CDC's Dr. Kevin Fenton said given that STDs can cause infertility and cervical cancer in women, "screening, vaccination and other prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities."

The study by CDC researcher Dr. Sara Forhan is an analysis of nationally representative data on 838 girls who participated in a 2003-04 government health survey. 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 herpes simplex virus, 2 percent.

Blythe said the results are similar to previous studies examining rates of those diseases individually.

The results were prepared for release Tuesday at a CDC conference in Chicago on preventing sexually transmitted diseases.

HPV can cause genital warts but often has no symptoms. A vaccine targeting several HPV strains recently became available, but Douglas said it likely has not yet had much impact on HPV prevalence rates in teen girls.

Chlamydia and trichomoniasis can be treated with antibiotics. The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under age 25. It also recommends the three-dose HPV vaccine for girls aged 11-12 years, and catch-up shots for females aged 13 to 26.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has similar recommendations.

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."'

Blythe said some doctors also are reluctant to discuss STDs with teen patients or offer screening because of confidentiality concerns, knowing parents would have to be told of the results.

The American Academy of Pediatrics supports confidential teen screening, she said.

Study: 1 in 4 teen girls has an STD - CNN.com

Ray · 03-13-2008, 00:22 AM

Read it here in Singapore too!

Its big news here!

ChrisF202 · 03-13-2008, 06:15 AM

After some of the things I saw in high school, this is not a surprise to me

Some of the girls I knew saw having an STD as sort of like a status symbol basically.

**TopHatter** · 03-13-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisF202

After some of the things I saw in high school, this is not a surprise to me

Some of the girls I knew saw having an STD as sort of like a status symbol basically.

WTF? Really??

Man things have changed SO much from when I was in high school

Southie · 03-13-2008, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopHatter

WTF? Really??

Man things have changed SO much from when I was in high school

Here it's almost like a badge of courage to have sex without protection. Then when they've been out to a doctors appointment and they come in to the attendance office to get their absence excused, our attendance clerk says they almost boast about what their appointment was about. It's very scary!!!

glyn · 03-13-2008, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southie

Here it's almost like a badge of courage to have sex without protection. Then when they've been out to a doctors appointment and they come in to the attendance office to get their absence excused, our attendance clerk says they almost boast about what their appointment was about. It's very scary!!!

It is scary. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Walking Dead · 03-13-2008, 12:04 PM

I SO am glad that the demographic in question is no longer my target dating list. I hope they will now do ths eame study on boys to see if there is an effect on them. I wonder what that statistic will look like.

Southie · 03-13-2008, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walking Dead

I SO am glad that the demographic in question is no longer my target dating list. I hope they will now do ths eame study on boys to see if there is an effect on them. I wonder what that statistic will look like.

I know of one male student that has Chlamydia, and I'm sure there are plenty others with STD's. After all, if the girls have it, there's not doubt in my mind that they slept with one or more of the male students here!

Walking Dead · 03-13-2008, 14:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southie

I know of one male student that has Chlamydia, and I'm sure there are plenty others with STD's. After all, if the girls have it, there's not doubt in my mind that they slept with one or more of the male students here!

Exactly!

**Parihaka** · 03-13-2008, 14:51 PM

Oh for goodness sake people. 1 in four teenagers have sex, well blow me down. you'll notice this sentence "A virus that causes cervical cancer is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in teen girls aged 14 to 19".
As they say later, they are talking about Human Papilloma viruses or HPV.
For his particular STD ...

Quote:

Genital HPV infections are very common and are sexually transmitted. Most HPV infections occur without any symptoms and go away without any treatment over the course of a few years (see Question 1, 4 and 5).

You don't know you have it, and until very recently it wasn't tested for as being generally symptom-less it was regarded as unimportant.
As they have discovered however they are the leading cause of cervical cancer but being a simple little collection of viruses there are vaccines available which all girls should be given from the age of 9 through 26. One shot, once, no more cervical cancer.

Next, you'll notice this sentence

Quote:

other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some infections

In other words, sexually transmitted disease also encompasses Herpes simplex, the 'kissing disease' infectious mononucleosis etc etc. Lot's of them, most transmitted by simple physical contact.
So, seen any kids with cold sores? If so, they are irresponsible raving nymphomaniacs according to this article (or you interpretation), and you'll note that for some reason it's only the girls mentioned, not the boys, who also have all these viruses.

In fact, I'm happily willing to wager that all of the male membership of this forum, if they have had more than 3 sexual partners during their lifetime, will be carrying at least one and quite possibly two STDs (HPV is almost certain)

ChrisF202 · 03-13-2008, 20:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southie

Here it's almost like a badge of courage to have sex without protection. Then when they've been out to a doctors appointment and they come in to the attendance office to get their absence excused, our attendance clerk says they almost boast about what their appointment was about. It's very scary!!!

Exactly, same thing here

If you walk along some of the beaches at night in the summer here you will come across hordes of drunk, stoned kids many of them having sex and in the mornings you will find beer/alcohol bottles and cans, half smoked blunts ... and dozens of condoms all over the place. Now if they are penetrating then oral sex wouldent even get a second though.

**Parihaka** · 03-13-2008, 20:42 PM

Officials Report Mixed Picture on S.T.D. Rates

Quote:

Article Tools Sponsored By
By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN
Published: November 9, 2005

Gonorrhea rates in the United States have fallen to their lowest level on record, but rates of two other sexually transmitted diseases, syphilis and chlamydia, are rising, federal health officials said yesterday.

The rates, though of concern, are low compared with years ago. Still, an estimated 19 million new infections of sexually transmitted diseases, or S.T.D.'s, occurred in 2004 at estimated health care costs of $19 billion, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Many cases of the three bacterial diseases reported yesterday go undetected, while many diagnosed cases are not reported. Also, two common viral diseases, human papillomavirus and genital herpes, are not reported at all, the C.D.C. officials told reporters in a telephone conference.

S.T.D.'s can cause serious, painful and sometimes life-threatening complications like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility among women and difficulty urinating among men.

The mixed picture of sexually transmitted disease rates is complicated and not fully understood, the officials said. The presumed reasons for it include better detection methods, increased risky behavior among gay men, a possible cyclical nature of syphilis outbreaks and budgetary constraints among state and local health departments.

"There's definitely a resource challenge," said Dr. Ronald O. Valdiserri, acting director of the AIDS and S.T.D. prevention unit at the disease centers. "We certainly hear from state and local health departments that they do not always have the resources they require to address all the S.T.D. issues that they need to address."

Dr. Valdiserri said the gonorrhea rate for the nation fell to 113.5 cases per 100,000 people last year, the lowest level since the government started tracking cases in 1941.

The gonorrhea rates began soaring in the late 1960's and peaked in the 1970's because of changes in sexual mores and behavior, wide use of oral contraceptives, and decreased use of condoms, said Dr. Valdiserri and Dr. John M. Douglas, who directs S.T.D. prevention at the disease centers in Atlanta. The rates dropped in the 1980's as health officials stepped up control measures. Still, Dr. Douglas said, the 330,132 gonorrhea cases reported in 2004 are believed to be less than half the 700,000 cases estimated to have occurred that year.

Rates for early-stage syphilis, which reached an all-time low in 2000, have increased for four straight years to 2.7 cases per 100,000 people in 2004. The rise is largely due to increases in early syphilis infections among gay men, to 4.7 cases per 100,000 from 2.6 cases in 2000, the disease centers said.

The rebound appears to be due to an increase in risky sexual behavior among gay men, many of whom do not know that syphilis can be transmitted through oral sex, Dr. Valdiserri said.

Researchers in London who were puzzled by the different pattern of gonorrhea and syphilis rates studied data from health departments in the United States. In a report in the journal Nature in January, the British researchers suggested that syphilis infections might naturally rise and fall in regular 8- to 11-year cycles.

Dr. Valdiserri and Dr. Douglas called the British study provocative but not definitive and could not fully explain the rebound in syphilis in this country.

While the Internet appears to have contributed to risky sexual behavior, the disease centers officials said, health workers are also trying to use the Internet to reach chat rooms and Web sites to educate gay men and others about the risks of unprotected sex.

"A number of approaches are being tried" so health workers do not lose momentum in combating S.T.D.'s, Dr. Douglas said.

The 929,462 cases of chlamydia made it the most commonly reported infectious disease in the United States in 2004. But the disease centers estimated that 2.8 million new cases were believed to have occurred that year. Also in 2004, the chlamydia rate rose to 319.6 cases per 100,000, up 5.9 percent from 2003.

However, Dr. Valdiserri said, the rise probably represents greater use of urine and other diagnostic tests and more intensive screening efforts rather than an actual increase in new infections. Screening for chlamydia is part of a growing number of annual gynecological examinations among sexually active women.

So, historically rates are at or close to all time lows. Meaning teenagers are the most responsible yet.
Us oldies on the other hand....

03-13-2008, 00:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 26,149 Country:	Read it here in Singapore too! Its big news here! __________________ "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination." I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to. HAKUNA MATATA

03-13-2008, 12:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
Walking Dead Semper Fu Master *Military Professional* Join Date: 01-11-08 Location: California Posts: 174 Country:	I SO am glad that the demographic in question is no longer my target dating list. I hope they will now do ths eame study on boys to see if there is an effect on them. I wonder what that statistic will look like. __________________ Unidentified U.S. Marine: "What does the American public think happens when they tell us to assault a city? Marines don't shoot rainbows out of our a$$e$. We f@$%king kill people."

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03-13-2008, 06:15 AM	#3 (permalink)
ChrisF202 *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-12-03 Location: Long Island, New York, USA Posts: 2,576 Country:	After some of the things I saw in high school, this is not a surprise to me Some of the girls I knew saw having an STD as sort of like a status symbol basically.

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