The problem of sexually transmitted diseases among todays youth

High-risk behaviors are those that can have adverse effects on the overall development and well-being of youth, or that might prevent them from future successes and development.

Such factors may cause serious obstacles to STD prevention due to their influence on social and sexual networks, access to and provision of care, willingness to seek care, and social norms regarding sex and sexuality.

Among certain vulnerable populations, historical experience with segregation and discrimination exacerbates the influence of these factors. Social, economic, and behavioral factors that affect the spread of STDs include: Racial and ethnic disparities.

Race and ethnicity in the United States are correlated with other determinants of health status, such as poverty, limited access to health care, fewer attempts to get medical treatment, and living in communities with high rates of STDs.

STDs disproportionately affect disadvantaged people and people in social networks where high-risk sexual behavior is common, and either access to care or health-seeking behavior is compromised.

Access to health care. Access to high-quality health care is essential for early detection, treatment, and behavior-change counseling for STDs. Groups with the highest rates of STDs are often the same groups for whom access to or use of health services is most limited.

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Many studies document the association of substance abuse with STDs. Perhaps the most important social factors contributing to the spread of STDs in the United States are the stigma associated with STDs and the general discomfort of discussing intimate aspects of life, especially those related to sex.

A person may have only 1 sex partner, but if that partner is a member of a risky sexual network, then the person is at higher risk for STDs than a similar individual from a lower-risk network.

Each state must address system-level barriers to timely treatment of partners of persons infected with STDs, including the implementation of expedited partner therapy for the treatment of chlamydial and gonorrheal infections. Innovative communication strategies are critical for addressing issues of disparities, facilitating HPV vaccine uptake, and normalizing perceptions of sexual health and STD prevention, particularly as they help reduce health disparities.

It is necessary to coordinate STD prevention efforts with the health care delivery system to leverage new developments provided by health reform legislation.

References 1 King K, et al. Janus considers the HIV pandemic: Harnessing recent advances to enhance AIDS prevention. Am J Public Health. Sexually transmitted infections among U.

Prevalence and incidence estimates, Sex Transm Dis ; 40 3: The estimated direct medical cost of selected sexually transmitted infections in the United States, Confronting sexually transmitted diseases.

National Academies Press; As for addressing the perils of casual sex among college students, or for that matter, teens—problems such as unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and psychological trauma—school administrators offer sex education classes that favor the how-to’s or why-nots of sex.

Sexual risk behaviors place youth at risk for HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and unintended pregnancy: Young people (aged ) accounted for an estimated 21% of all new HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2.

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Nov 19,  · Emerging Issues in Sexually Transmitted Diseases There are several emerging issues in STD prevention: Each state must address system-level barriers to timely treatment of partners of persons infected with STDs, including the implementation of expedited partner therapy for the treatment of chlamydial and gonorrheal infections.

But it also wreaks destruction and tears apart families, not to mention the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, which can be fatal.

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