Teens, Young Adults Have More Than Their Share Of STDs

[wdlove]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while people ages 15 to 24 make up just one-fourth of the sexually active population, they accounted for nearly half the cases of sexually transmitted diseases in 2000. Of the 18.9 million new cases overall, researchers estimated more than 9 million occurred in teens and young adults.

Three diseases -- human papillomavirus, trichomoniasis and chlamydia -- accounted for 88 percent of new cases in 15- to 24-year-olds.


http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/2872842/detail.html?treets=bos&tml=bos_health&ts=T&tmi=bos_health_1_12150102262004

[rainman::|:|]

umm, duh.

15-24 is also the age people are most sexually active, so this really does stand to reason. in general, i'd say that number is pretty good, considering how slutty generation-y is... no offense, i'm in it...

paul

[JamesDPS]

I agree, not that surprising. I'm still not entirely sure why, though -- has teen behavior really changed as of late or are there simply more diseases out there for late teens to contract? I mean, out parents were all teenagers once, too, and I don't buy that they were all "pure" and we're all having more sex than human history has ever seen.

I suppose people are certainly getting married at an older age than, say, my parents' generation (I'm only 23 and only sort of considering marrying someone I've dated for 4 years, but I'd be considered pretty old to get married only a few decades ago). So there's more time now to spread things around before settling down with someone?

In any case, doesn't bode too well for the future, but then again I suppose a massive population-slashing epidemic of some kind (like AIDS but more easily communicable?) is an inevitability as long as world population grows. :/ Sad, yes, but probably true (as my immunology-professor aunt will attest).