New York Times: One in Four Women in Teens Have S.T.D.’s, Study Finds

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/science/12std.html?ref=research

One in Four Women in Teens Have S.T.D.’s, Study Finds

By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN

Published: March 12, 2008

The first national study of common sexually transmitted diseases among teenage women has found that one in four are infected with at least one of the diseases, federal health officials reported on Tuesday.

Nearly half of African-American teenage women were infected with at least one of the diseases monitored in the study — human papillomavirus (H.P.V.), chlamydia, herpes simplex type 2 and trichomoniasis, a common parasite.

That figure compared with 20 percent of white teenage women.

The two most common sexually transmitted diseases (S.T.D.’s) among all the women tested were H.P.V. at 18 percent and chlamydia at 4 percent according to the analysis, which was part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Among the infected women, 15 percent had more than one.

Officials of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the findings underscore the need for strengthening screening, vaccination and other prevention measures for S.T.D.’s, which are among the country’s highest public health priorities.

“High S.T.D. infection rates among young women, particularly young African-American women, are clear signs that we must continue developing ways to reach those most at risk,” said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., who directs the centers’ division of S.T.D. prevention.

Federal health officials ask about different health and nutrition issues in the survey, which is conducted each year. The S.T.D. analysis was based on information collected in the 2003-04 survey.

Participants in the statistically based survey are chosen on a random basis. The survey contacted 838 women ages 14 to 19 who agreed to be tested for a sexually transmitted infection. Extrapolating from the findings, researchers estimated that 3.2 million teenage women are infected with at least one of the S.T.D.’s

S.T.D.’s can produce acute symptoms ranging from vaginal discharge to pelvic inflammatory disease and also lead to long-term ailments like infertility and cervical cancer. The survey tested for strains of H.P.V. that are linked to genital warts and cervical cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual screening tests to detect chlamydia for sexually active women under age 25. The federal agency in Atlanta also recommends that women between ages 11 and 26 be fully vaccinated against H.P.V.

 

h.p.v. vaccines has caused quite a stir in the school systems in some states.  parents are against the mandatory vaccines requested by some schools.  the thing about h.p.v. is that you don't have to be sexually active to get it.

most times it will go away on it's own within a few months but if you are active as in the case with 20s to 30 year olds and older it may lead to cervical cancer if not detected and treated right away.

i thought there was another study and the numbers were much higher for young girls and stds. 

stay home and play card games.

I think this adds some validity of a study I read af few yeas ago that said 90% of girls are attracted to only 10% of boys.

I think this adds some validity of a study I read af few yeas ago that said 90% of girls are attracted to only 10% of boys.

I don't get what you mean? The only "validity" I see in all this is: guys have more than one partner.

Exactly and too many of those guys aren't clean.  I only speak for American society.  I know what I've seen and experienced when i was there.  I have a cousin who got out of prison 9 months ago and is already having two babies, not twins.  He's about 20.