New SexSmarts Study on Teens and Sexually Transmitted Disease
More than half of teens say that HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are big problems facing people their age. One in five knows someone who has had an STD, and almost three quarters of sexually active teens are worried about getting one.
Teen concerns are warranted. While some STD rates are declining among teens, others like herpes and gonorrhea are increasing. Unfortunately, many don't have the facts they need to keep themselves safe. Almost a quarter don't know that they are at risk for STDs even if they haven't had many partners, or that they could be infected and not experience any symptoms. Most say that people just don't talk about STDs, and more than half want to hear more about symptoms, protection, and testing.
These are some of the new findings from Sexually Transmitted Disease, the fourth in our series of nationally-representative survey snapshots of teens aged 12-17. It is part of SexSmarts, an ongoing public information partnership of seventeen magazine and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
