The CDC recently released new data regarding STD infections among teenagers. The result: teens need better sex education. In the past ten years, the annual rate of AIDS diagnoses for 15 to 19 year old boys has nearly doubled. For the report the CDC compiled data from several surveys among people aged 10 to 25, and these are their findings:

Only half of girls and just 35 percent of boys ages 18 and 19 had discussed methods of birth control with a parent, yet more than 80 percent of both boys and girls reported that they had learned to say no to sex.

Statistics indicate that lots of teens aren’t saying no. Thirty percent of 15-17 year old girls said they had engaged in sex, and this number rose to 70.6 percent among 18 and 19 year old girls. Boys shared similar statistics, with 31.6 percent of boys aged 15 to 17 engaging in sex, and 64.6 percent of 18 and 19 year old boys. On a rather disturbing note, nearly ten percent of women ages 18 to 24 reported that their first intercourse experience was involuntary.

In 1997 the number of HIV infections in 15 to 19 year old boys was 1.3 per 100,000 cases. In 2006 that number had increased to 2.5 infections per 100,000 cases. Also on the rise were rates for syphilis in females. There were 1.5 positives per 100,000 cases in 2004 and 2.2 infections per 100,000 cases in 2006.

While many teens are learning about sex, many of the lessons tend to be abstinence-only centered, which explains why lower rates of teens have discussed birth control methods. As rates for HIV and syphilis continue to climb it is important now more than ever that teens are supplied with an expansive sex education so that they know the risks of sexual intercourse and how to prevent them.

*For the complete article, please visit http://stdtestingblog.com/original-articles/

When it comes to personal health, many people will see a doctor or physician at any sign of trouble. Unfortunately it is often the opposite when it comes to sexual health. Many people see discussing their sexual health as being taboo, when in fact it should be the exact opposite. Talking about it is very important, especially if there are signs or symptoms of a problem.

Many people are scared to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or ask about their sexual health because of myths that exist about it. Some of these myths respond to confidentiality. Many people are worried that if they test, their friends, colleagues, or parents might find out about it. The truth is that many places offer confidential testing and treatment, where all information is held between the patient and provider.

Other people are worried that the testing process is painful or uncomfortable, when in fact one can test for almost every STD with either a blood or urine sample. If a blood draw sounds uncomfortable, it may help to know that it involves only a small needle and a short time of actual drawing.

Some individuals are concerned that if they contract an STD they will have it for life. In reality all STDs can be treated, and most of them can be cured. Curable diseases include syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. STDs that cannot be cured, but are treatable are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes.

A lot of people believe that if they haven’t had sex they cannot receive an STD. The truth is that STDs can be contracted through oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse. If someone has had any of these types of intercourse it might be a good idea to get tested.

But if you’re not showing any signs of symptoms there’s no need to get tested, right? Wrong, many STDs progress without showing symptoms in certain individuals. While not having any symptoms is a great sign, nevertheless it is probably a good idea to get tested if you’ve had any risky sexual behaviors.

Keep in mind that condoms, when used correctly, do a great job of protecting people against STDs. However, things like herpes that are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact can still be contracted even when using a condom. For that reason you should always be aware of symptoms that may exist where the condom did not cover. Herpes can also be carried orally in the form of a cold sore. While cold sores are common and not something to be worried about, it is important to be aware of them on yourself or on partners because they can transmit the type-1 herpes virus through skin-to-skin contact as well.

Carrying on or starting a relationship with an STD can be difficult or uncomfortable in some situations.  A suggestion for getting through this is to be knowledgeable about your STD. The more you know about it, the better you will be able to inform your partners and make smart decisions. If you have a current partner at the time of diagnosis, they should be tested and treated as well for the STD. If the STD is incurable, stay adherent to the medication and make sure you inform any potential partners of your infection before any sexual contact.

If you decide to do some testing, make sure you are open and honest about any symptoms, possible exposures, or recent partners you’ve had when you speak with someone. They use this information to make sure you are doing the right tests at the right time so you don’t receive any false results.

Some final words of wisdom are “treat your body like you treat your toothbrush – don’t share it with everybody… STDs are equal opportunity employers. They don’t discriminate.”

* For the complete article, please visit http://stdtestingblog.com/original-articles/

Web sites such as YouTube and Facebook have been used with great success to raise public awareness about a variety of issues in the past, perhaps most notably during the 2008 presidential campaigns.

Now, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) has incorporated these new media outlets into an ambitious campaign to educate teenagers about sexually transmitted infections, diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, that affect one out of four sexually active teenagers in the U.S.

Health and new media experts said the BPHC’s viral messaging approach is a step in the right direction but that it needs to be taken to the next level in order to change teenage sexual behavior.

“The underlying principle on this campaign that is different from past campaigns is that if we want to be successful, we need to be youth driven and youth appropriate,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the BPHC, particularly in terms of what venues are most likely to be sought after and seen by adolescents. “They have input into how messages are created that target them. The content is definitely not ours.”

Youth-to-Youth Internet STI Education Efforts

The youth-driven campaign, launched yesterday, utilized an interactive Facebook page where users can post anonymous health questions, YouTube video skits about STIs that also run on the cable channels MTV, BET and FX, advertisements on billboards and buses around Boston, and in-person outreach in the form of public skits performed by youth volunteers.

“In terms of today’s vehicles, you have to meet teens where they’re at,” said Tara Cousineau, a psychologist and founder of bodimojo.com, a health site for teens, citing the Internet, Facebook, Twitter and MTV as popular information disseminators. “The part that is still a challenge is how to get the messages to sink in. … You have to be passing the message along but engaging the kid in the message along the way.”

Cousineau said using interactive Web features such as quizzes that could be completed and forwarded to friends was one way to continue spreading a message.