CDC: Over 25% of teen girls in US have STIs
A shocking study by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention found than 26% of US girls between the ages of 14 and 19 have a sexually transmitted infection.
A shocking study by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention found that 26% of US girls between the ages of 14 and 19 have a sexually transmitted infection.
The study used national survey data between 2003 and 2004 to determine that 3.2 million girls are infected. The data shows that while Caucasian and Mexican-American girls have a 20% infection rate, the rate for African-American girls is almost 50%.
Most of the infected girls had human papillomavirus (HPV): almost 70% of the study's population had HPV, which often has no symptoms. Chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and herpes simplex virus were also common infections.
Some sex education critics point to the numbers as demonstrating a failure of abstinence education. With better information on condoms and birth control, they say, the rate of disease could have been much lower.
Comparison of teen- and parent-reported estimates of social and emotional support, 2021 to 2022
July 23rd 2024The investigative team noted that teenagers with emotional and social support are better off to handle stressors such as biological and social transition, and are less likely to experience a variety of adverse physical and mental health outcomes.
