Teens, STDs & Consequences
This story has been broadcast across the internet and the media, including the social networks. It’s one of the front page stories on Digg and there are even posts on social sites calling American teen girls “sluts”.
One particularly irksome story warns guys to “double wrap” so they don’t get contaminated. (This is particularly offensive to me as a female, because it implies that males have played no part in the spread of these diseases.)
According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly one in four teen girls in their study had an active sexually-transmitted disease. The study shows that more than 3 million teens are infected. But those figures don’t tell the whole story.
Of the girls (aged 14-19) included in the study, only half acknowledged ever having sex. This means that 50% of the girls (one of every two) who are sexually active also have an active sexually transmitted disease.
We need to remember that the study involved less than 1000 young women between the ages of 14-19, so while those statistics can probably be nationally representative, they may not be accurate in EVERY demographic group. But obviously something needs to be done.
As parents, we need to become informed about what these diseases can mean to the future mothers of our nation.
- There are several strains of the number #1 sexually transmitted disease, which is human papillovirus, or HPV. While there has been a lot of controversy about giving the newly-developed vaccine (in some cases, to girls as young as 11), the key thing to remember is that HPV can cause cervical cancer.
- The second most common infection was chlamydia, which can lead to sterility.
- The third most common, and most easily cured, is trichomoniasis which can lead to premature birth and low birth weight, leading to infant deaths.
- The #4 STD, Herpes Simplex virus, is incurable, so the infected patient now carries, and potentially transmits, the virus for the rest of her life.
In addition to these disturbing facts, there are other considerations to be concerned with.
- Contracting any of these diseases gives a young woman (or man) a greater susceptibility to HIV, if exposed.
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All of these diseases directly affect any child born to an infected woman:
- Trichomoniasis, because of the inability to carry the pregnancy full-term.
- The other three because the infections can be passed to the infant at birth, causing life long problems for the infant or death.
One final fact that I’d like to mention is something else these statistics tell us. Nearly half the African-American teens in the study had at least one STD, compared with 20 percent among both caucasian and Mexican-American teens.
I can’t begin to explain how we have gotten to this point in our society, and it wouldn’t change matters even if I could.
All I know is that this is a tragedy for our country.
When I worked in NeoNatal Intensive Care, I saw and tended to infants who were struggling to stay alive, for one reason or another, usually a premature birth. ‘Preemies’ have a much better chance of staying alive now than just a few years ago, but it is still touch-and-go for them. We need to work toward providing every infant an opportunity for a healthy birth.
I don’t know what a workable solution to the problem is, but I do know that calling American girls “sluts” is not the solution!
Brennan the RN
Filed under: Education News
7 Responses to “Teens, STDs & Consequences”
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Brennan, this is an excellent but sad article.
We all have different opinions on this and mine is that …
If sexual health education was introduced to school age children from a much earlier age, then they would know of the potential dangers of entering into a sexual relationship too early in their lives.
Young children are already confronted with images on television of undesirable events too early, so surely a basic knowledge brought to them in an appropriate and sensitive manner, could only benefit our future generations.
We have a duty to our children in this matter and education has to be the way forward.
The word “slut”, as referred to girls, has been around for too long and only voiced by immature and ignorant people, some of whom, will no doubt regret having said it, in the first place!
I agree with you 100%, AnneMarie!
We must start educating our children BEFORE they are in a position to get infected. And unless the information we give them is accurate, as well as sensitive and tastefully done, it will be ignored.
With all the sex and violence children are exposed to from the media, including the daily news and MTV, kids are exposed to far more negatively-portrayed explicit sexual encounters than any sex education program in schools could begin to share.
Young people need to know what the statistics AND the consequences are.
One thing I didn’t mention in the article, is that many of these young women have these infections in their mouths as well. Somebody, besides a former president, needs to explain what is/isn’t actual sex.
Brennan,
Another excellent article - and I totally agree with AnneMarie - it’s a very sad commentary on America’s youth society.
As I commented on your choking article last week, to my mind this comes down to the parents.
Now I’m no model parent, and I know it’s the toughest job around, but it’s still the best place for kids to learn about sexual issues, drugs and all the other crazy things that they have to face as they grow up.
Unfortunately many parents, particularly younger parents, don’t take on this responsibility so it’s left to the kids to find out for themselves.
Given that this type of education doesn’t happen in the home it’s a good thing that some schools are taking it up. But without the openness that ideally a parental relationship would have there’s still so much room for misinterpretation.
Like I said - I’m no model parent and I know how hard a job it is. I also know that it’s going to take a herculean effort (and at least a generation) to turn things around.
Martin.
Thank you, Martin,
Yes, it’s a sad commentary - on our youth, our parents and our society.
You are so right that if we don’t tell our children the truth, they will seek their answers elsewhere. And they don’t have to go far to get a truly perverted view of human relationships.
My concern with the statistics in this post is that we don’t really have generations to FIX THIS. These girls (and of course, their male partners) are infected with potentially deadly diseases NOW! I can only hope that publication of this problem will motivate people to take action.
Sigh!
Brennan
Great post. Brennan.
I like your site…
I agree that sounds stupid. As if these girls are having sex with themselves. Gotta love our society’s double standard. Something definitely needs to be done.
Yep, Buck!
If the numbers are that bad for the girls, where does that leave the boys? And who is carrying these diseases more actively from partner to partner?
We are looking at many, many young women who are facing future sterility. We have GOT TO help them understand how to take care of themselves, in spite of that double standard!
Brennan