Sexually transmitted diseases have been called a “hidden epidemic.†And a new study shows why: About 25 percent of teenage girls have a sexually transmitted disease, such as herpes, chlamydia, or human papillomavirus (HPV).
The study’s lead author, Dr. Sara Forhan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called the results “alarming.†She said that “far too many young women are at risk for the serious health effects of untreated STDs, including infertility and cervical cancer.â€
The average age for teen girls to first have sexual intercourse is 15, according to the study. Like it or not, many teens are having sex, and they need to know about the health risks and guard against them.
Parents should know that teens who aren’t promiscuous are still at high risk of STDs. Among girls age 14 to19 who said they’d had one sexual partner in their life, 20 percent had contracted an STD.
The study underscores the need for good education, screening and prevention, including the new vacine against HPV.
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58 Comments
Well . . . this isn’t what it sounds like.
HPV makes up the vast majority of the STD they cite–which causes warts and in some rare cases leads to cervical cancer. And one can give or get the virus that causes warts with a handshake. Not really a big deal, especially with the HPV vaccine which every girl should get.
As for chlamydia and trich., they are fairly easily treated and cured (usually).
The herpes type II virus is still incurable and still very easily transmitted. Fortunately, it only comprises 2 percent of the STD in the study.
This is a sad commentary on the state of affairs within the United States. Many things need to be done. A renewing of the “honorableness” of not having teenage sex would be a good start. So would comprehensive sex education.
Yeah, do what LJ says.
Not what he did.
Typical CON think . . .
CapnAmerica-
What the hell was that for? What I did as a teenager was NOTHING until I got out of high school. What I wanted to to, with a teenagers raging hormones, is not what sane logic comes to the conclusion of. Of course, by your post, since you thik STDS are not a big deal, I guess we have no baseline to discuss upon. Typical LIBERAL BS
Capn, about HPV. HPV is so common that it has been estimated that every person gets HPV…there are a zillion different strains and only a few cause the actual warts.
So I wonder truly how accurate this report is. I also know that you can get HPV through other contact- although most doctors don’t even know that.
Why is there no mention of the STD rate of black teenagers? That is the real news.
What, afraid of offending somebody? How can things be fixed if you are afraid of talking about it?
Fleettwood, I’ll mention it: the STD infection rate among black, teenage females was found by the study to be 1 in 2, with the 1 in 4 number being the overall infection rate.
One may quibble with the size of the sample (838); how the sample was chosen; and other such things of importance to statisticians. What the study does show (no surprise) is that there is a real problem with STD infection among teenage girls, and not discussing it will make it worse, IMHO.
It also reinforces the need for comprehensive sex education, as littlejohn said in his original post. Something I didn’t see in the linked article but heard in a radio report on the study was that of the 838 in the sample, roughly one-half were sexually active, with the other one-half denying any sexual activity. Thus, the real rate of infection among the sexually active ones is higher than 1 in 4 or 1 in 2.
“The average age for teen girls to first have sexual intercourse is 15, according to the study.”
Which means that there are an awful lot of male rapists running around free. No wonder Phill Kline is concerned!
Yep, Kansas, rapists by virtue of the wording of the various statutes. Of course, in the states the respondents are residents, the age of consent may be lower than that in Kansas, e.g., so be careful there in your accusations.
the 838 in the sample, roughly one-half were sexually active,
Roughly one half admitted to being sexually active. I also read that a lot of them only consider intercourse as sexually active and don’t count oral sex.
Yes, Sol, I read the same thing. That’s why I used the term “denying” in my earlier post.
Wow we’d better open up a whole lot more jails.
You gonna pay for all those young male rapists?
I’m a feminist, and I can’t even go for jailing all the boys.
Kids will have sex, this is what abstinence only education gets you..kids having UNPROTECTED sex.
Hmmm, maybe it’s time to bring back the “glass rod and rubber hammer” story. :D
Probably not, McCreepy.
“The little darlin’s are just animals. They can’t control their desires, and they sure can’t be reasoned with” — Libspeak
Yup.
Outlander missed the sexual revolution.
That explains a lot.
LJ continues to condemn others for what he did.
Nice.
Teenagers can’t be trusted to make informed decisions regarding sex. They need to be shamed and scared into not having it.” –Wingnutspeak
Door King is laughing.
Door King,
You ever thought about changing your name to Sofa King?
“LJ continues to condemn others for what he did.
Nice.”
Liar. Where did I condemn anyone?
I said a return of the honorableness of refraining from teenage sex would help the problem. It would, instead of the constant sexual bathing that teenagers get now, and the insame idea that because you don;t there is something wrong with you
Nice fakeout, there CapnAmerica, it just doesn;t wash.
i ddid however, commit several acts of drinking and driving. apparently, as an informed teenager, I wansn;t smart enought to make the right choice. That does not negate the validity of me saying that it was stupid, and that it should not be either condoned, or practiced. Of course, I don;t live in some guilt for my past. It is after all, in the past.
My point is simply that if you want to help teens you don’t shame them from doing what you did.
You educate them. And you vaccinate them.
The reich-wing just want to shake their fingers at kids and b!tch about a permissive society.
That does nothing except make them guilty of the sin of self-righteousness.
I didn;’t advocate shaming anyone. Your simple point is a lie. And I did advocate comprehensive education. And I do advocate vaccination for HPV. EIther get over yourself, or at the least quit misrepresenting others.
Actually Capn, we talk frankly with teens about the glamorous lies told by the secular world about casual sex, the consequences of believing those lies, and the importance of making your decisions based on timeless wisdom.
You give ‘em a condom.
Agreed outlander.
Obviosly over 25 years of so called safe sex education has gotten us here.
So more of it will do what exactly?
Obviously the prevailing liberal attitude of they are going to do it anyway so just give them a condom is not working too well.
The abstince only sex ed that you effing fundies impose on our public schools is more of a culprit than anything.
And if you don’t believe it, why do European teens have as much sex as ours with a tiny percentage of our unwanted pregnancy rate?
Answer: they teach the facts without the prudish guilt and shame . . .
So what is your solution, Price? Abstinence education - that hasn’t worked either.
Better to inform and equip than to pretend that the problem is not real.
WS Clark,
I believe in a comprehensive education program which includes abstinence education.
“I believe in a comprehensive education program which includes abstinence education.”
And do you believe that teens in such a program should also be taught birth control methods and STD prevention?
Well I’ve got a son not a daughter.
I’m just gonna tell him whatever he does, don’t ever use his real name or tell her where ya live.
Here is an idea. Parents, install some morality in your kids!
WS Clark,
Yes I do. I believe they should also be taught the benefits of waiting, how to avoid peer presure, that it is ok to wait, and that waiting to have sex is the only 100% way to avoid those diseases and getting pregnant. That a monogamous relationship is healthy as well.
How does guilt and shame result in unprotected sex?
Because if one plans for sex, that means they are in control and should therefore not do it.
However, if they don’t plan for it and just get “caught up in the moment,” well, then what can you do? You can’t blame them.
“Yes I do.”
So what is the issue? Teach whatever but also teach them to be prepared.
You can teach them abstinence, but studies have shown that most are going to ignore that advice anyway.
As someone mentioned earlier the vast majority of these infected girls are black.
Why is that?
The rate of infection of white girls is much lower.
“However, if they don’t plan for it and just get “caught up in the moment,” well, then what can you do? You can’t blame them.”
Of course you can.
Typical Lib.
Komrade, careful there; for the “vast majority” of these infected girls to be black, a substantial number of the girls in the sample would need to be black, and there is nothing suggesting the same in the article linked. The rate of infection is two times the infection rate of the group as a whole, as I noted earlier; but that hardly makes the “vast majority” of the infected teenage girls black. In fact, there is no mention in what I read as to the total number of black, white, asian, etc., girls contained in the sample.
People are feeding these kids lies, throwing condoms at them with known failure rates at preventing pregnancy and the spread of diseases, and telling them that promiscuous fornication can be safe and without consequences - like cancer and filthy, unsafe, criminal abortion mills.
“Of course you can.”
And Fleetwood, is your record squeaky clean? No unprotected sex (unless intending the consequences)no one night stands, just spiffy clean monogamous sex?
My record is filthy.
Thought so, mine too.
Parkay–
Somebody really got to you, didn’t they?
You know, the fall of Man was disobedience, not sex. Even (the puritan) Milton knew that . . .
Nathan
Posted March 13, 2008 at 2:46 pm | Permalink
WS Clark,
I believe in a comprehensive education program which includes abstinence education.
well well, do my eyes deceive me? Nathan finally comes to our side?
Unreal. Now if you’ll kindly go see to it that your fundy groups get out of our schools, I’ll be most appreciative.
Parkay, there is something REALLY wrong with you.
While I still believe in comprehensive sex education, I really think it is a moot point. How many 13-15 year olds do you think don;t know what causes pregnancy? You don;t think that that know you get pregnant by having sex? Bullshit. Don;t sell them so short. They know. They also often don;t have the tools or the maturity to make great decisions. About a lot of things. They need to know that they don;t have to have sex if they don;t want to, or aren;t ready. They need to know that most boys will tell the girls ANYTHING to get in their pants, and might even believe it themselves. They need to know the realities of teen pregnancies, including an indepth study of ALL the options should they become pregnant. They (the boys) need to know that if they do get a girl pregnant, their responsibility should the girl decide to keep it, and thier lack of control if she choosed not to. They need to know the long term effects of stds, they (girls) need to know that it’s all right to tell some guy either, if you did love me you would quit asking till I’m ready, or no condom, no sex. They need to know to make those decisions in the calm, not the heat of the moment. They need to know the physical effects of alternative sex methods, and birth control. They need to know. They need to be supported by everyone should they decide to wait, and they need to know that they can find the help they need to make those decisions should they decide not to. They need to know the mental effects of having sex too early intheir maturity. They need to know it all. Don;t just tell them how to avoid pregnancy and stds. Give them a COMPREHENSIVE education.
Political Mama,
Does your side agree with teaching this too:
I believe they should also be taught the benefits of waiting, how to avoid peer presure, that it is ok to wait, and that waiting to have sex is the only 100% way to avoid those diseases and getting pregnant. That a monogamous relationship is healthy as well.
littlejohn, I am in full agreement with what you posted at 3:47 (by the time stamp; can’t they get the server adjusted for DST?). On the boy’s responsibility, that is one topic I think is not emphasized enough in the content of the sessions to which I’ve been exposed. I’ve offered to discuss those things like child support, Income Withholding Orders, and similar things before, but no one seems to want my input there. Sadly, there are some boys who think that buying a box of diapers every so often fulfills their legal obligations. Oh, well, as the late Prof. Scott once said, “You do the best you can.”.
They also need to know that they will be required to notify, or have notified, there past sexual partners if they are diagnosed with an std. That is comprehensive education.
night all. Ya’all have a great time, ya hear!
It does no good to teach them responsibility when everything in our pop culture brainwashes kids into thinking that they can and should engage in sexual activity and there will be no real consequences.
The reality is that there is always consequences to being sexually active…emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It also affects our realtionships and how we view ourselves.
Sexual activity should be for mature people who can handle the responsibility.
Maybe we should spend as much time toning down all the provacative sexual propaganda that is being shoved down our kids throats as we do educating them on how to be responsible.
I’m sick and tired of seeing young girls dress like hookers and being encouraged to define themselves and their behavior by their sexuality. I see it as a real put down of women on the part of our culture that thinks women are only objects to be used for a sexual gratification and a very real backlash to the women’s movement.
Political Mama,
“Does your side agree with teaching this too:
I believe they should also be taught the benefits of waiting, how to avoid peer presure, that it is ok to wait, and that waiting to have sex is the only 100% way to avoid those diseases and getting pregnant. That a monogamous relationship is healthy as well.”
YES! We even testified to that at the hearings. Where were you?
But now I’ve gotta fight to keep these idiots who wanna teach such wrong BS to my kids out of my schools.
Such as….a condom won’t protect you from STD’s at all and only pregnancy some of the time. (the kids hear- don’t bother using them).
You’d not believe what I’ve had to go through over these nuts coming to my daughter’s school, all the way down to handing out catholic literature!
I think after two years, we’ve finally convinced the school board to not allow them back. AND I believe we’re going to be having a powwow with the state on what those people are REALLY saying behind closed doors.
Mary I agree, but the exploitation of our girls also comes from these men who have raised them to think that their whole life is about being a mother and wife. They gotta have a hubby by 18 so they can have sex! It’s like we’ve regressed bad.
Now when I see cheerleaders I now know that probably 4 of them have a nasty crotch
Not even the puritans were able to enforce total abstinence. It just doesn’t work and never has. Hormones beat harangues hands down. The christian church has had no effect on teenagers having sex, but they have in the past been wildly successful in creating the guilt necessary to fund their operations for years to come. Unfortunately, this latest generation seems pretty immune to guilt over sex(evolution at work), and churches may have considerable trouble continuing to squeeze cash from such guilt.
Every parent should assume that at some point in their teenage years, their children will become sexually active, and have preparations in place for when it happens. Get your girls an HVP shot and on birth control pills NOW! Not only give them condoms, but show them how to use them and talk to them about NEVER having sex without one or more. Most importantly keep the lines of communication open between fathers and sons, mothers and daughters. This is best done in a nonjudgmental atmosphere. Yelling helps nothing! Try to remember that there are all sorts of diseases that spread in all sorts of ways; diseases that are spread by sex are no more a matter for shame than the ones that are spread by doorknobs. They all need to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible!
It’s also necessary to prepare your teens for the inevitable heartbreaks of teen relationships. These are practice sessions for when they have the real thing, not grounds for suicide!
Above all, remember that telling a teenager about your own experiences only goes so far; their own experiences will teach them far more about relationships, and you should learn to know when to say nothing. Most of all, they should know that they have your love and trust, because only then will they be able to love and trust you.
Nathan
Posted March 13, 2008 at 3:00 pm | Permalink
WS Clark,
Yes I do. I believe they should also be taught the benefits of waiting, how to avoid peer presure, that it is ok to wait, and that waiting to have sex is the only 100% way to avoid those diseases and getting pregnant. That a monogamous relationship is healthy as well.
Nathan, I was in a monogamous relationship in High School, and he was my “first”. However, I still got an STD from him. I was worried about pregnancy, but it honestly never occurred to me that I would get an STD. No adults ever really talked about it, they just preached about how I could get pregnant and ruin my life.
All the talking etc, doesn’t do a whole lot of anything, Jed. It may make parents feel good that they’re talking openly with their kids, but kids do what kids do because they’re young and irresponsible and they get into trouble no matter how good their relationship is and how well they communicate with their parents.
How many of your grandkids were conceived and born within the sanctity of marriage, Jed? Be honest now!
Mary,
I don’t know how much “sanctity” marriage has ever had, but all my grandchildren were born while their mother was married. All I can say is thank god she isn’t still married to that walking toxic waste site, and too bad she ever was! He did far more damage to my grandkids than single motherhood could ever have.
Same story with my daughter..she left the jerk and I couldn’t have been happier. Now she’s married to a great guy that we all love. My grandaughter went through a lot while she was breaking up with her first husband.
I guess she had to kiss a frog before she found the handsome prince!
Mary,
My grandchildren are the children of my step-daughter who was already married and a mother when I came on the scene. She had been systematically abused physically, emotionally and sexually by her natural(?) father who was OCD, Catholic and a control freak of the first water. It’s taken all she and I could do to get her back together and repair my grandkids, but they seem to be doing alright now. The problems we have currently all stem from having teenagers.