1 in 4 Teen Girls has AT LEAST one STD...

updated 9:32 a.m. PT, Tues., March. 11, 2008

CHICAGO - 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 ever 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 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.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23574940

There you have it: Almost half of teens who have sex get an STD of some sort.

What is the answer then? More sex education and condoms?

They've been doing that since I was 10, and I'm 25 now. Perhaps 15 more years of "education" will make sex for teens safe?

Note to self: Stay away from one out of 4 teen girls.

??

I don't think anyone would argue that teens not having sex, or at the very least, being especially careful about who they sleep with is an important point...

Abstinence only education, however, is statistically proven to increase risky sexual behaviour in kids though. Unless the only thing you care about is the moral condemnation of sex, the pragmatic answer is truthful explanation of the risks involved.

The end of the article (unfortunately the study is probably not available, as the results are being presented at a conference next week) says this:

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.

Having people think there is a moral stigma against sex prevents teens from getting screened. Parental disapproval prevents screening.

Since it is impossible to stop kids from having sex, why not have them knowledgeable and safe? (I also do not think this position is mutually exclusive from moral condemnation. Tell your son not to have sex, but make sure he knows to wear a condom).

What is your answer then, ss?

Statistics can be used to lie very easily, and nothing sells like a good scare story. I'd like to see what they're basing it on when they say 1/2 of black teens have an STD. It seems far too high for my credulity to absorb.

Yes, I'd say the answer is more condoms and sex education. Abstinence teaches a solution that is entirely up to personal preference, I think you should teach people about what happens if they do want to have sex.

Originally posted by Bardock42
What is your answer then, ss?

0 in 4 virgins have STD's. 😄

Come now, did you expect any other answer?

What about when they lose their virginity? They have to lose it someone.

Originally posted by sithsaber408
0 in 4 virgins have STD's. 😄

Come now, did you expect any other answer?

Hm.."Not I, said the cat!" I'm not that stupid.

Originally posted by Bardock42
One that makes more sense. How will you get teenagers to stay virgins?

I assume he means indoctrinating them into abstinence. AKA - completely abusing and limiting their personal freedom.

Originally posted by DigiMark007
Statistics can be used to lie very easily, and nothing sells like a good scare story. I'd like to see what they're basing it on when they say 1/2 of black teens have an STD. It seems far too high for my credulity to absorb.

SS, it's been long proven that it is simply not practical to expect teens to refrain from having sex. The urge is there, and most are not strong enough to resist it, and even more have been sheltered from sex and so they don't even know what it is.

Yes, education IS the only reasonable solution. Sadly, sexual education is disolving here in America, where more and more idiot parents oppose it so they can 'teach' their kids to simply not have sex. Then those kids shockingly (only to their parents) go and have sex anyways and get a disease because they weren't taught about precautions and the possible dangers.

Originally posted by sithsaber408
0 in 4 virgins have STD's. 😄

Come now, did you expect any other answer?

We should do what they did in the past: Make kids that have sex get married. Problem salved.

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
I assume he means indoctrinating them into abstinence. AKA - completely abusing and limiting their personal freedom.

re: kids have more sex under riskier circumstances

Originally posted by inimalist
re: kids have more sex under riskier circumstances

I wouldn't say more, but yeah, I agree with the rest.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
You don't know the blacks, then.

I teach. I'm aware of a larger sample of this demographic than most.

And I also realize how horny teens can be. But 50% is still just ridiculous to me. And if you blindly believe studies without access to their methods, your are being misled a healthy percentage of the time (pun intended).

I have to agree with Backfire. As much as I oppose the ideas pushed upon kids by a lot of sex education programs, parents can't do the same job that teachers can. Kids need to be taught about spermicide, diaphragms, female condoms, etc. because no one else is going to teach them.

And it's ridiculous that guys need to be taught how to wear condoms, but they indeed do because men are absolutely retarded. When you've got people like Urizen hanging around the men's bathroom, you don't have much of a choice.

Abstinence should absolutely be emphasized as the only way to prevent STDs, but it shouldn't be the only thing taught because kids are stupid, impulsive, and weak-willed. They've also been indoctrinated into the idea that sex at the age when they feel ready is alright because it's their choice. Much in the same way that smoking is.

Originally posted by DigiMark007
I teach. I'm aware of a larger sample of this demographic than most.

And I also realize how horny teens can be. But 50% is still just ridiculous to me. And if you blindly believe studies without access to their methods, your are being misled a healthy percentage of the time (pun intended).

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
We should do what they did in the past: Make kids that have sex get married. Problem salved.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
They've also been indoctrinated into the idea that sex at the age when they feel ready is alright because it's their choice. Much in the same way that smoking is.

Well, it is. It's completely and utterly their choice.