Sue Scheff: Epidemic of STDs

Source: Connect with Kids

“I think that parents are in denial.”

– Wanda Wong, a school nurse and coordinator for county health services

Columbia University’s School of Public Health has some bad news about teen sex: after a decade of decline, today more teenagers are having sex. And fewer kids are using protection.

Many teens know about STDs because they know people who have had them.

“I had a friend, and she got crabs, and every day, at school, they would itch,” 16-year-old Krystal says.

“I had a friend one time … she got gonorrhea by having oral sex,” says Nadia, 17.

“My friend, she had syphilis,” 17-year-old Marcus says.

According to researchers at Columbia University, more teens are having sex and fewer are using protection. And that puts them at risk for pregnancy and STD’s. In fact, nearly 19 million new sexually transmitted infections are reported by the CDC each year, half in young people between the ages of 15 and 24.

“I think that parents are in denial, and I think that students don’t realize it’s such a huge risk,” says Wanda Wong, a school nurse and coordinator for county health services.

Parents can explain the risk, Wong says, but scaring them with numbers isn’t enough. “What they know as a statistic is not necessarily what changes their lifestyle or their behaviors,” she says.

Instead, what Wong advises parents to do isn’t easy: Lecture a little bit less and serve a little more as an honest, respectful sounding board in conversations with their kids. “So that when kids begin to explore their own identities and … think about delving into risky behaviors, they will know that there’s someone in their family that they can talk to and maybe discuss that before they do that,” she says.

Tips for Parents

Teens are very concerned about possible infection with the HIV virus, and desperately want to know more about ways to prevent the disease. Parents can be an invaluable source of information about HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases in general. Unfortunately, some parents still do not feel comfortable discussing issues associated with sex and sexual intercourse with their children. Given the deadly nature of this particular disease, it is imperative that parents find a way that is comfortable for them to discuss this subject with their children and teens.

What adolescents need to know in order to make decisions that will protect them from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases is typically more extensive and detailed than what most younger children need to know. For example, because HIV is spread through unprotected sexual intercourse or sharing drug needles and syringes, teens need to learn about abstinence and, depending on the family’s values, about sex, condoms, drug use, hygiene, etc. Because alcohol and drugs can cloud thinking, teens need to learn that using these substances can cause them to make decisions that can put them at risk.

Teens also must learn to distinguish myths from facts about HIV infection and AIDS. They need to learn about the issues that the disease poses for society, such as the importance of opposing prejudice and discrimination. Discussing all of these things will help equip teens to make decisions that can prevent the spread of HIV infection and AIDS.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, parents initiating a conversation with their teen about HIV and AIDS might consider including the following points in that conversation:

■Provide the adolescent with a definition of AIDS. For example, explain that AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is a condition in which the body’s immune system breaks down. Because the immune system fails, a person with AIDS typically develops a variety of life-threatening illnesses that almost always prove fatal.
■Give a definition of HIV infection. The adolescent needs to understand that AIDS is caused by a virus that scientists call human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. Once a person is infected, he or she can infect others, even if no symptoms are present. The fact that other STD’s share this characteristic provides an excellent opportunity to expand the conversation to include other sexually transmitted diseases should the opportunity feel right. Point out that a special blood test can detect HIV.
■Explain how HIV is transmitted from one person to another. The adolescent needs to clearly understand that there are two primary ways that people become infected with HIV:
■by engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal, or oral) with an infected person; or
■by sharing drug needles or syringes with an infected person.
■A parent might want to point out that women who are infected with HIV can pass it on to their babies during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding. The fact that some people have become infected through receiving blood transfusions might also be pointed out. Although these cases are rare, the fact that a parent knows about them and mentions them can only add to their credibility in discussing such an important subject.
■Explain how to reduce the risk for HIV infection from sex. The easiest way to avoid getting HIV from sex is to not have sex. Abstinence is the only sure protection. This may seem simplistic in the face of the significant rates of sexual activity reported by teens in today’s society. However, it does provide an opening to discuss some of the values that your family stands for in regard to premarital sex. Reinforce the fact that if the adolescent does chose to have sexual intercourse, they should not feel ashamed to wait until they are in a long-term, mutually faithful relationship, such as marriage, with an uninfected partner.
■Remind them of some of the realistic values of choosing not to have intercourse including:
■Virtually guaranteeing their safety from all sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection. Point out that approximately every 11 seconds a teen in the U.S. gets a sexually transmitted disease.
■Providing the teen with additional time to be sure they are physically and emotionally ready to engage in a sexual relationship.
■Providing them with more time to learn and understand more about the physical and emotional aspects of sexual relationships.
■Avoiding unwanted pregnancy. Some sources report that approximately every 30 seconds a teen in the U.S. gets pregnant.
■If a teen makes the decision to engage in sexual intercourse outside of a mutually faithful, long-term relationship with an uninfected partner, it is imperative that they use a latex condom whenever having any type of sexual intercourse. Remind them that any partner who would refuse to use a condom is putting them at risk for catching diseases that may be fatal, incurable, or both. Considering this fact might just help the teen to battle against feeling pressured to participate in sexual activity about which he or she is unsure.
■Tell the teen straight away that there are no circumstances under which they can assume it is safe to have sexual intercourse with people who may be infected with HIV. This includes people who have:
■injected drugs
■had multiple or anonymous sex partners
■had any sexually transmitted disease
■The adolescent also needs to know that there is no way to tell, short of a blood test, whether a person is infected with HIV. They have to assume that every potential sexual partner may have been exposed to or infected with the HIV virus.
■Finally, reinforce the critical importance of avoiding making decisions about sexual intercourse while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. These substances can cloud their judgment and cause them to take risks that put them in danger of becoming infected with HIV.

References
■Kaiser Family Foundation
■Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
■Bradley Hasbro Research Center