Understanding the STD statistics and STD rates by age, race, gender and sexuality is important for sexually active teens to realize STDs are a growing problem among teens and young adults. Increased education about STD symptoms, signs, what to look for and prevention tips are the best way to help stop the spread of these dangerous sexually transmitted infections (STI) and sexually transmitted diseases (STD).
Teens having sex
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) a 2013 survey of high school students found that:
- 47% of those surveyed have had sex.
- 34% of them in the last 3 months and 41% of those did not use a condom the last time they had sex.
- 15% of surveyed students have had sex with 4 or more partners in their life.
Teen Sex and STDs
- Only 22% of sexually active teens have been tested for HIV.
- In 2013 approximately 10,000 people aged 13-24 were diagnosed with HIV.
- In 2010 gay and bisexual men accounted for 72% of new HIV infections in 13-24 year olds.
- Nearly half of 20 million Americans that get a new STD infection each year are teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24.
- STD stats show, among those teenagers having teen sex, about one in four will contract an STD prior to adulthood
Most Common STDs Among Teens
- Chlamydia
- In 2012, chlamydia cases decreased 5.6% in 15-19 year olds and increased 2.1% in 20-24 year olds.
- 3.3% (3,291.5 per 100,000) of females 15-19 years old tested positive for chlamydia.
- 3.7% of females 20-24 years old were positive for chlamydia
- 15-19 year old males were much lower with only .8% (816.3 of 100,000) testing positive for chlamydia.
- 20-24 year old males were at about 1.4% (1,350.4 of 100,000) testing positive for chlamydia.
- Gonorrhea
- In 2012, gonorrhea rates decreased 1.5% for 15-19 year olds and increased 3.1% for people aged 20-24.
- 15-19 year old women had 521.2 cases per 100,000
- 20-24 year old women had 578.5 cases per 100,000
- 15-19 year old males had 239 cases per 100,000
- 20-24 year old males had 462.8 cases per 100,000
- Syphilis Rates in 2012
- Syphilis rates decreased in 15-19 year old women to 2.3 cases per 100,000 people.
- Syphilis rates rose in 20-24 year old females to 3.9 cases per 100,000 people.
- Syphilis rates increased in 15-19 year old males to 5.8 cases per 100,000 people.
- Syphilis rates increased in 20-24 year old males to 25.3 cases per 100,000 people.
Teens, STDs and Prevention
- Only 42.8 percent of teenage females have discussed STDs and STD testing with their health care professional during a routine check up.
- The statistics are even less with teenage males. Only 26.4 percent have discussed STD and STD testing with their doctor at a routine check up.
The Center for Disease Control is actively working and developing programs to educate teens on safe sex practices to decrease the overall number of teens affected by STDs. As a result, the CDC developed a STD/STI Framing Conversation Report that was released in 2010. Since the release of the STD report and increased efforts, there are some signs of progress being made among the minority cultures. However, there are still large disparities in the STD rates by age and race continuing to exist. The STD report provides suggestions and possible ways to take action to help fight the high number of STDs among teens and African Americans. Governmental as well as private sector agencies in the health care and medical fields are able to benefit from the report to continue in their work to combat this growing sexually transmitted disease dilemma.
Sources:
cdc.gov [Online]
