Who's Teaching What in Schools?

[bodecea]

Teen pregnancy increased astronomically with the advent of "sex education".

I think it's safe to say it does nothing whatsoever to reduce the incidence.

Stats to back that up please....start by indicating what year(s) sex education started in schools.

 

[Momanohedhunter]

I dont know that it caused it to rise, but it has done little if anything to prevent it. And as I think back to high school class it did not help me and the Wife that much As we followed there instructions and she still got pregnant, and yes a condom was used properly. There is only one fool proof plan to avoid getting knocked up.Boy's, keep it in your pants, Girls, you need to hold a penny with your knees. I also saw no comments on the fact that thees kids are coming down with the clap and syphilis. This with pregnancy can be blamed on planed parenthood with there policy of keeping thees kids sexual activity a secret from the parents. It will get better when they cut funds from planned parenthood.

 

[SmarterThanHick]

First, I stated that I had a sex-ed class in the 5th grade. that's not the proper age to show students how to put on condoms IMO.

Second, how in the hell can you assume that you know how I shop? I've tried the equate toothpaste and it sucks. I never saw an advertisement that enticed me to try it. It was cheaper. I may have Crest toothepaste, but I have hill country fair chips in my pantry. (which is a knock off created by the local grocery store-and they taste great.) I have NUMEROUS items and products in my house that are not "name-brand" items that I have seen commercials about. I'm not going to discuss my entire life-style. But I'll bet that the majority of people tend to lean towards the products they personally feel are better than the other. They may by a name-brand product and decide it's shit and perfer the non-name brand product because it's just as good and cheaper.... Price tends to drive my shopping these days, not advertising.

Sure, you can argue about what is the optimal age to teach kids about condom use, but not about whether it should be taught at all.

Second, you just proved I know exactly how you shop. I stated "You're picking the popular brands, believing they are popular because of advertising, and you're trying the cheap store-version." You then go on to state you use a name-brand toothpaste, and purchase cheaper store-versions of other things.

NEVERTHELESS, the reason you reached for crest is because you thought it was better in some way than the next brand. Similarly, advertising rarely makes people jump out of their seats because they must purchase that product at that moment. No, it works by familiarizing someone to the name, giving them subtle reasons to buy it, and hoping they recognize their product the next time they're in the store.

Again, advertising works and tremendously increases profit, regardless of what you think.

 

[SmarterThanHick]

I dont know that it caused it to rise, but it has done little if anything to prevent it. And as I think back to high school class it did not help me and the Wife to be that much As we followed there instructions and she still got pregnant, and yes a condom was used properly. There is only one fool proof plan to avoid getting knocked up.Boy's, keep it in your pants, Girls, keep you need to hold a penny with your knees. I also saw no comments on the fact that thees kids are coming down with the clap and syphilis. This with pregnancy can be blamed on planed parenthood with there policy of keeping thees kids sexual activity a secret from the parents. It will get better when they cut funds from planned parenthood.

It sounds like you're rather uneducated on this topic.

Planned parenthood, along with ALL MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS AND DOCTORS, do not share sexual or mental health issues with parents. This has consistently been shown to be beneficial for the minors. Giving kids reasons to avoid seeking help is a good way to make a bad situation worse.

 

[BrianH]

First, I stated that I had a sex-ed class in the 5th grade. that's not the proper age to show students how to put on condoms IMO.

Second, how in the hell can you assume that you know how I shop? I've tried the equate toothpaste and it sucks. I never saw an advertisement that enticed me to try it. It was cheaper. I may have Crest toothepaste, but I have hill country fair chips in my pantry. (which is a knock off created by the local grocery store-and they taste great.) I have NUMEROUS items and products in my house that are not "name-brand" items that I have seen commercials about. I'm not going to discuss my entire life-style. But I'll bet that the majority of people tend to lean towards the products they personally feel are better than the other. They may by a name-brand product and decide it's shit and perfer the non-name brand product because it's just as good and cheaper.... Price tends to drive my shopping these days, not advertising.

Sure, you can argue about what is the optimal age to teach kids about condom use, but not about whether it should be taught at all.

Second, you just proved I know exactly how you shop. I stated "You're picking the popular brands, believing they are popular because of advertising, and you're trying the cheap store-version." You then go on to state you use a name-brand toothpaste, and purchase cheaper store-versions of other things.

NEVERTHELESS, the reason you reached for crest is because you thought it was better in some way than the next brand. Similarly, advertising rarely makes people jump out of their seats because they must purchase that product at that moment. No, it works by familiarizing someone to the name, giving them subtle reasons to buy it, and hoping they recognize their product the next time they're in the store.

Again, advertising works and tremendously increases profit, regardless of what you think.

So you think people aren't familiar with Coke? Dr. Pepper? Crest? That's a load of dog shit. People are already familiar with these names.

As far as how I shop, I just told you I have no problem with seeing commercials for something that is new. As far as my name-brand toothpaste, it had nothing to do with any commercials I've seen showing women with accessive smiling habits. I use it because it was better than the other brand, not because it had a shinier label or had a commercial...

 

[Momanohedhunter]

I dont know that it caused it to rise, but it has done little if anything to prevent it. And as I think back to high school class it did not help me and the Wife to be that much As we followed there instructions and she still got pregnant, and yes a condom was used properly. There is only one fool proof plan to avoid getting knocked up.Boy's, keep it in your pants, Girls, keep you need to hold a penny with your knees. I also saw no comments on the fact that thees kids are coming down with the clap and syphilis. This with pregnancy can be blamed on planed parenthood with there policy of keeping thees kids sexual activity a secret from the parents. It will get better when they cut funds from planned parenthood.

It sounds like you're rather uneducated on this topic.

Planned parenthood, along with ALL MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS AND DOCTORS, do not share sexual or mental health issues with parents. This has consistently been shown to be beneficial for the minors. Giving kids reasons to avoid seeking help is a good way to make a bad situation worse.

No, it has not. it may be ok for your kids to run around and screw everything that walks (if you have any) And you are also wrong about mental health or any other Dr.'s not sharing treatment records with parents. Kids wont avoid seeking help. We did not avoid it any way. And even if that were the case Planned Parenthood has done nothing to slow teen pregnancy, and have done even worse in regards to VD. the only thing planed parent hood is let the kids know ware they can abort babies, and treat VD. Nothing else. By the way, they kill more black babies then any other race. Ware is the out rage ? It will be all better when they are defunded.

 

[SmarterThanHick]

It sounds like you're rather uneducated on this topic.

Planned parenthood, along with ALL MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS AND DOCTORS, do not share sexual or mental health issues with parents. This has consistently been shown to be beneficial for the minors. Giving kids reasons to avoid seeking help is a good way to make a bad situation worse.

No, it has not. it may be ok for your kids to run around and screw everything that walks (if you have any) And you are also wrong about mental health or any other Dr.'s not sharing treatment records with parents. Kids wont avoid seeking help. We did not avoid it any way. And even if that were the case Planned Parenthood has done nothing to slow teen pregnancy, and have done even worse in regards to VD. the only thing planed parent hood is let the kids know ware they can abort babies, and treat VD. Nothing else. By the way, they kill more black babies then any other race. Ware is the out rage ? It will be all better when they are defunded.

Your anecdotal "reasoning" is painful to read. It doesn't matter what you personally would do or not do. Nor does your insignificant experience in this world account for anything compared to evidence based understanding.

The reason that the governing bodies of the medical world protect minors regarding these issues is because evidence shows it decreases bad outcomes. Plain and simple.

Effect of mandatory parental notification [JAMA. 2002]
Limiting Confidentiality of Adolescent Health Services
Access to medical care for adolescents
"The most common reason for missing care was not wanting a parent to know (35%)."
Assessment of health needs and willingness to utilize health care resources of adolescents
Confidentiality in health care.[JAMA. 1993]
"A majority of adolescents have concerns they wish to keep confidential and a striking percentage report they would not seek health services because of these concerns"

The Journal of Pediatrics, Journal of Adolescent Health, and Journal of the American Medical Association, researching this very issue across thousands of children, prove you wrong. The question you need to ask yourself is whether you are so stubborn as to reject all of these evidence based scientific studies for your unsupported anecdotal reasoning.

Access to confidential healthcare has not been shown to increase risk behavior. This was the ridiculous argument ignorant parents posed as the reason they were against the HPV vaccine. Vaccination against STD does not increase risky sexual behavior any more than providing confidential medical help. What it does is provide a service for a minor that would otherwise suffer in silence. Your choice.

 

[Momanohedhunter]

It sounds like you're rather uneducated on this topic.

Planned parenthood, along with ALL MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS AND DOCTORS, do not share sexual or mental health issues with parents. This has consistently been shown to be beneficial for the minors. Giving kids reasons to avoid seeking help is a good way to make a bad situation worse.

No, it has not. it may be ok for your kids to run around and screw everything that walks (if you have any) And you are also wrong about mental health or any other Dr.'s not sharing treatment records with parents. Kids wont avoid seeking help. We did not avoid it any way. And even if that were the case Planned Parenthood has done nothing to slow teen pregnancy, and have done even worse in regards to VD. the only thing planed parent hood is let the kids know ware they can abort babies, and treat VD. Nothing else. By the way, they kill more black babies then any other race. Ware is the out rage ? It will be all better when they are defunded.

Your anecdotal "reasoning" is painful to read. It doesn't matter what you personally would do or not do. Nor does your insignificant experience in this world account for anything compared to evidence based understanding.

The reason that the governing bodies of the medical world protect minors regarding these issues is because evidence shows it decreases bad outcomes. Plain and simple.

Effect of mandatory parental notification [JAMA. 2002]
Limiting Confidentiality of Adolescent Health Services
Access to medical care for adolescents
"The most common reason for missing care was not wanting a parent to know (35%)."
Assessment of health needs and willingness to utilize health care resources of adolescents
Confidentiality in health care.[JAMA. 1993]
"A majority of adolescents have concerns they wish to keep confidential and a striking percentage report they would not seek health services because of these concerns"

The Journal of Pediatrics, Journal of Adolescent Health, and Journal of the American Medical Association, researching this very issue across thousands of children, prove you wrong. The question you need to ask yourself is whether you are so stubborn as to reject all of these evidence based scientific studies for your unsupported anecdotal reasoning.

Access to confidential healthcare has not been shown to increase risk behavior. This was the ridiculous argument ignorant parents posed as the reason they were against the HPV vaccine. Vaccination against STD does not increase risky sexual behavior any more than providing confidential medical help. What it does is provide a service for a minor that would otherwise suffer in silence. Your choice.

Home Page > Health > Women's Health > STD Rates Among Youth Rising, CDC Says
STD Rates Among Youth Rising, CDC Says
Edit Article | Posted: Oct 27, 2009 |Comments: 0 | Views: 541 |
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After improving for years, the rates of sexually transmitted diseases have stopped dropping and in some cases increased, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported recently.

The annual rate of AIDS diagnoses among males aged 15 to 19 years has nearly doubled in the past 10 years, from 1.3 cases to 2.5 cases per 100,000 persons between 1997 and 2006, the CDC report said.

Gonorrhea, Syphilis Rates Increase

Similarly, after decreasing for years, gonorrhea and syphilis infection rates among adolescents and young adults have increased. Among males aged 15 to 19 years the gonorrhea rate increased from 250 to 275 cases per 100,000 between 2004 and 2006. The rate for syphilis among females aged 15 to 19 years increased from 1.5 to 2.2 cases per 100,000 from 2004 to 2006. Both rates followed decreases in previous years, the report said.

“It is disheartening that after years of improvement with respect to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, we now see signs that progress is stalling and many of these trends are going in the wrong direction,” said Janet Collins, Ph.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

About one million adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years were reported to have chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis in 2006, the report said. Nearly a quarter of females aged 15-19 years, and 45 percent of those aged 20-24 years, had a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection during 2003-2004.

Approximately 100,000 females aged 10-24 years visited a hospital emergency department for a nonfatal sexual assault injury during 2004-2006, according to the CDC.

STD Symptoms Threatening

Over 65 million Americans are now affected with an incurable STD, according to the CDC. General symptoms can include unusual discharge from the penis or vagina, a burning feeling when urinating, growths, itching sores in the genital area, lower abdominal paid, dark urine, skin rashes or sores, yellow eye, fever, headache, nausea, joint inflammation and enlarged lymph nodes.

Bacterial STDs, such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia can usually be cured with antibiotics. Even with treatment, any damage already caused is permanent. Viral STDs such as herpes, HIV/AIDS and human papillomavirus (HPV) are considered incurable, but can be treated. If infected, it is important to seek treatment immediately.

If untreated, STDs can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility, cervical cancer, chronic pelvic pain, tubal (ectopic) pregnancy, damage to major body organs, and death.

Abstinence Is Best

According to the CDC, the surest way to avoid pregnancy or any infection of a sexually transmitted disease is to practice sexual abstinence while single. Those who marry are best protected by selecting a partner who is not infected with an STD and remaining sexually faithful during marriage.

Read more: STD Rates Among Youth Rising, CDC Says
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STD Rates Among Youth Rising, CDC Says


And this too-

CDC Report Indicates 19 Million New STDs Annually
November 24, 2010 0 Comments
Posted in News, Infectious Diseases, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDS), Infections, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), Surveillance & Epidemiology
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According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report, "Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2009," there are approximately 19 million new STD infections each year, which cost the U.S. healthcare system $16.4 billion annually and cost individuals even more in terms of acute and long-term health consequences.

The data are based on state and local STD case reports from a variety of private and public sources, the majority of which come from non-STD clinic settings, such as private physicians and health maintenance organizations.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the U.S. CDC’s surveillance report includes data on the three STDs that physicians are required to report to the agency – chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis – which represent only a fraction of the true burden of STDs. Some common STDs, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and genital herpes, are not reported to CDC.

Despite the continued high burden of STDs, the latest CDC data show some signs of progress:

- Gonorrhea: The national gonorrhea rate is at the lowest level ever recorded.

- Chlamydia: Continuing increases in chlamydia diagnoses likely reflect expanded screening efforts, and not necessarily a true increase in disease burden; this means that more people are protecting their health by getting tested and being linked to treatment. This is critical, since chlamydia is one of the most widespread STDs in the United States.

- Syphilis: For the first time in five years, reported syphilis cases did not increase among women overall. Likewise, cases of congenital syphilis (transmitted from mother to infant) did not increase for the first time in four years.

Yet, there are large disparities by race and age. CDC surveillance data show much higher rates of reported STDs among some racial or ethnic minority groups than among whites. This is consistent with other data sources showing marked STD disparities in some minority populations. A range of factors contributes to these disparities, including poverty, lack of access to health care and an already high prevalence of STDs in communities of color that increases a person’s risk of infection with each sexual encounter. And regardless of race or gender, data show that sexually active adolescents and young adults are at increased risk for STDs when compared to older adults. Acknowledging disparities in STD rates is one of the first steps in empowering affected communities to focus on the problem and helping the public health community direct prevention and treatment resources appropriately.

Less than half of people who should be screened receive recommended STD screening services. Undetected and untreated STDs can increase a person’s risk for HIV and cause other serious health consequences, such as infertility. STD screening can help detect disease early and, when combined with treatment, is one of the most effective tools available to protect one’s health and prevent the spread of STDs to others.

Untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia can result in pelvic inflammatory disease in women, a condition that can cause infertility. Each year, STDs cause at least 24,000 women in the U.S. to become infertile. Untreated syphilis can lead to serious long-term complications, including brain, cardiovascular and organ damage. Syphilis in pregnant women can also result in congenital syphilis (syphilis among infants), which can cause stillbirth, death soon after birth, and physical deformity and neurological complications in children who survive. Untreated syphilis in pregnant women results in infant death in up to 40 percent of cases. Studies suggest that people with gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis are at increased risk for HIV. This is especially concerning for young black men, among whom the rate of syphilis is increasing.

So I guess the sex ed is doing a bang up job then right ? the only thing that can be done is for PARENTS to teach there kids impulse control.You know, actually be a parent. Turn off there PS2, take away there cell phone and TALK to them. As for getting medical records Except for planned parenthood and there affiliated clinics, most Dr.'s will bring parents into the fold. Planed parenthood wont because they need the money. I will shoot some more numbers your way in a sec. I dont want to overwhelm you.

 

[chanel]

Great piece in the NYT. It looks like abstinence ed is working insofar as many teens are waiting longer to have sex. Not until marriage, but until they are in love. This study suggests that people who have fewer partners are generally happier.

Successful abstinence-based programs (yes, they do exist) don’t necessarily make their teenage participants more likely to save themselves for marriage. But they make them more likely to save themselves for somebody, which in turn increases the odds that their adult sexual lives will be a source of joy rather than sorrow.

Their research, which looks at sexual behavior among contemporary young adults, finds a significant correlation between sexual restraint and emotional well-being, between monogamy and happiness — and between promiscuity and depression.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/opinion/07douthat.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

 

[SmarterThanHick]

So I guess the sex ed is doing a bang up job then right ? the only thing that can be done is for PARENTS to teach there kids impulse control.You know, actually be a parent. Turn off there PS2, take away there cell phone and TALK to them. As for getting medical records Except for planned parenthood and there affiliated clinics, most Dr.'s will bring parents into the fold. Planed parenthood wont because they need the money. I will shoot some more numbers your way in a sec. I dont want to overwhelm you.

You see the difference between you and I is that I look at the evidence to draw conclusions, whereas you believe the mere act of reproducing gives you the ability to draw conclusions and then selectively pick which evidence you want to ignore and which you want to post as supporting your pre-conceived ideas.

Take the "evidence" in your latest post. The first is an opinion written by apparently no one, and posted to a blog. Note how opinion is not fact. Now let's look at actual CDC facts, as alluded to in your second article, which can be found here:
CDC - Trends in STD Surveillance, 2009 -

Did you bother to actually read the things you posted?
"Gonorrhea: The national gonorrhea rate is at the lowest level ever recorded.
"- Chlamydia: Continuing increases in chlamydia diagnoses likely reflect expanded screening efforts, and not necessarily a true increase in disease burden; this means that more people are protecting their health by getting tested and being linked to treatment. This is critical, since chlamydia is one of the most widespread STDs in the United States.
- Syphilis: For the first time in five years, reported syphilis cases did not increase among women overall. Likewise, cases of congenital syphilis (transmitted from mother to infant) did not increase for the first time in four years."

Your article, rehashed from the CDC, then goes on to say the horrible effects of not seeking help once an STD is acquired. That law you dislike so much that I already proved was beneficial is about adolescents able to be treated after they have acquired such an STD to AVOID those later complications.

There is no substitute for good parenting, but once your kid already has an STD, every scrap of evidence we has shows that they are better off being able to be freely treated for it.

Keep something else in mind: while your ridiculous opinion article that is posted to a blog and lists no author is making all kinds of unsupported claims that directly contradict the center for disease control, even those claims have nothing to do with the laws surrounding confidentiality of adolescents, which were enacted years away from any bad statistic they use.

In short: I've already proven that privacy for adolescents is beneficial to that age group as a whole, and such ideas are supported by every major medical organization in the country. There is also absolutely no evidence that shows the enactment of these laws has negatively affected STD rates or increased risky sexual behavior. This is evidence based fact. Do you still hold to your unsupported opinion at the cost of your child's health?

 

[Momanohedhunter]

So I guess the sex ed is doing a bang up job then right ? the only thing that can be done is for PARENTS to teach there kids impulse control.You know, actually be a parent. Turn off there PS2, take away there cell phone and TALK to them. As for getting medical records Except for planned parenthood and there affiliated clinics, most Dr.'s will bring parents into the fold. Planed parenthood wont because they need the money. I will shoot some more numbers your way in a sec. I dont want to overwhelm you.

You see the difference between you and I is that I look at the evidence to draw conclusions, whereas you believe the mere act of reproducing gives you the ability to draw conclusions and then selectively pick which evidence you want to ignore and which you want to post as supporting your pre-conceived ideas.

Take the "evidence" in your latest post. The first is an opinion written by apparently no one, and posted to a blog. Note how opinion is not fact. Now let's look at actual CDC facts, as alluded to in your second article, which can be found here:
CDC - Trends in STD Surveillance, 2009 -

Did you bother to actually read the things you posted?
"Gonorrhea: The national gonorrhea rate is at the lowest level ever recorded.
"- Chlamydia: Continuing increases in chlamydia diagnoses likely reflect expanded screening efforts, and not necessarily a true increase in disease burden; this means that more people are protecting their health by getting tested and being linked to treatment. This is critical, since chlamydia is one of the most widespread STDs in the United States.
- Syphilis: For the first time in five years, reported syphilis cases did not increase among women overall. Likewise, cases of congenital syphilis (transmitted from mother to infant) did not increase for the first time in four years."

Your article, rehashed from the CDC, then goes on to say the horrible effects of not seeking help once an STD is acquired. That law you dislike so much that I already proved was beneficial is about adolescents able to be treated after they have acquired such an STD to AVOID those later complications.

There is no substitute for good parenting, but once your kid already has an STD, every scrap of evidence we has shows that they are better off being able to be freely treated for it.

Keep something else in mind: while your ridiculous opinion article that is posted to a blog and lists no author is making all kinds of unsupported claims that directly contradict the center for disease control, even those claims have nothing to do with the laws surrounding confidentiality of adolescents, which were enacted years away from any bad statistic they use.

In short: I've already proven that privacy for adolescents is beneficial to that age group as a whole, and such ideas are supported by every major medical organization in the country. There is also absolutely no evidence that shows the enactment of these laws has negatively affected STD rates or increased risky sexual behavior. This is evidence based fact. Do you still hold to your unsupported opinion at the cost of your child's health?

First, they were posted to blogs as reported by the CDC. STD's are up. Googl STD among teens and you will get all you need in big letters so you get it. From 1996 to now STD's are up. Then do it state by state and you will see it is up as well, especially among African Americans who also lead in abortions. The long and short is this, Abstinence training in school- Dont work, Sexual education in school- dont work. What is a fact it this, they both work when done at by parents .And you haven't proven shit other then Planned parenthood and there affiliate clinics say that . So try harder swamp donkey.

 

[Momanohedhunter]

And since you dont like blogs I pulled this one off of CDC's web site-

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the United States. CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year— almost half of them among young people 15 to 24 years of age1.

In addition to the burden on youth, women are also severely affected. Biological factors place women at greater risk than men for the severe health consequences of STDs. The two most commonly reported infectious diseases in America — chlamydia and gonorrhea — pose a particular risk to the health of women, as both can result in infertility if left untreated. Together, these diseases were reported in almost 1.5 million Americans in 2007, but the majority of cases continue to go undiagnosed.

Both of these diseases, along with syphilis and herpes, have also been associated with increased HIV transmission, which is of particular concern among men who have sex with men (MSM) of all races and African-American men and women, where the HIV burden is now greatest. Reducing the preventable and persistent toll of STDs will require expanded access to prevention, treatment, and screening services for the diverse populations now at risk.

This document summarizes 2007 national data on trends in three notifiable STDs — chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — that are published in CDC’s report, Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2007. These data, which are useful for examining overall trends and trends among specific populations at risk, represent only a small proportion of the true national burden of STDs. Many cases of notifiable STDs go undiagnosed, and some common viral infections, such as human papillomavirus and genital herpes, are not reported at all.
Chlamydia: Largest Number of Cases Reported to Date, Yet Majority of Infections Still Undiagnosed

Health Consequences of Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that can easily be cured with antibiotics, but usually occurs without symptoms and often goes undiagnosed. Untreated, it can cause severe health consequences for women. Up to 40 percent of females with untreated chlamydia infections develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) – a condition, which can lead to such long-term complications as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain.2 Complications from chlamydia among men are relatively uncommon, but may include epididymitis and urethritis, which can cause pain, fever, and in rare cases, sterility. In addition, studies suggest that the presence of chlamydia infection increases the risk of HIV transmission.3

Chlamydia remains the most commonly reported disease in the United States. In 2007, 1,108,374 chlamydia diagnoses were reported, up from 1,030,911 in 2006. The 2007 total represents the largest number of cases ever reported to CDC for any condition. Even so, most chlamydia cases still go undiagnosed. CDC estimates that there are approximately 2.8 million new cases of chlamydia in the United States each year1, indicating that more than half of new cases remain undiagnosed and unreported.

The national rate of reported chlamydia in 2007 was 370.2 cases per 100,000 population, an increase of 7.5 percent from 2006 (344.3). Increases in chlamydia rates are more likely a reflection of the continued expansion of screening and use of more sensitive tests, rather than an increase in the total burden of the disease in the United States.
Severe Impact on Women, Especially Young and Minority Women

Women, especially young and minority women, are hit hardest by chlamydia. Studies have found that women are most severely impacted by the long-term consequences of untreated chlamydia.
Female Chlamydia Rates, 2007. Click for a larger image.
Click for a larger image

The reported chlamydia case rate for females in 2007 was almost three times higher than for males (543.6 vs. 190.0 per 100,000 population). Much of this difference reflects the fact that females are far more likely to be screened than males. Young females 15 to 19 years of age had the highest chlamydia rate (3,004.7), followed by females 20 to 24 years of age (2,948.8). Chlamydia is common among all races and ethnic groups; however, African-American, American Indian/ Alaska Native, and Hispanic women are disproportionately affected. In 2007, black females 15 to 19 years of age had the highest chlamydia rate of any group (9,646.7), followed by black females 20 to 24 years of age (8,671.5). The rate of reported chlamydia per 100,000 black females overall (1,906.0) was almost eight times that of white females (249.3) and almost three times that of Hispanic females (753.3). The rate among American Indian/Alaska Native females was the second highest (1,158.2), while the rate among Asian/Pacific Islander females was the lowest (208.8).
Importance of Screening

Because chlamydia is most common among young women and is usually asymptomatic, CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under age 26, as well as older women with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners.4 Data from one study in a managed care setting suggest that chlamydia screening and treatment can reduce the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) by over 50 percent.5 Unfortunately, many sexually active young women are not being tested for chlamydia, in part reflecting a lack of awareness among some providers and limited resources for screening.6 Research has shown that simple changes in clinical procedures, such as coupling chlamydia tests with routine Pap testing, can sharply increase the proportion of women screened.7 Increased screening efforts are critical to preventing the serious health consequences of this infection, particularly infertility. While recent data suggest that chlamydia screening may be increasing, it is estimated that more than half of sexually active women under 26 were not screened within the last year.6

Reducing the impact of this disease among women will also require reducing and treating chlamydia among males. Recent studies have also shown that many young women who have been diagnosed with chlamydia may become re-infected by male partners who have not been diagnosed or treated.8, 9, 10 CDC’s 2006 STD Treatment Guidelines recommend that women be re-tested for chlamydia approximately three months after treatment, and also recommend that where possible, antibiotic therapy be delivered by heterosexual patients to their partners if other strategies for reaching and treating partners are not likely to succeed, an approach known as expedited partner therapy.4
Gonorrhea: Disease Stable but at Too High a Level

Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in the United States, with 355,991 cases reported in 2007. Following a 74 percent decline in the rate of reported gonorrhea from 1975 through 1997, overall gonorrhea rates have remained relatively stable for the past decade, though the disease persists at too high a level. In 2007, the overall gonorrhea rate was 118.9 cases per 100,000 population, and rates were slightly higher among women (123.5) than among men (113.7). Like chlamydia, gonorrhea is substantially under-diagnosed and under-reported, and approximately twice as many new infections are estimated to occur each year as are reported.1
United States of Concern
Gonorrhea Rate, 1941-2007. Click for a larger image.
Click for a larger image

As in previous years, in 2007 the South had the highest gonorrhea rate among the four regions of the country (156 cases per 100,000 population). Rates, while high in the South, have remained fairly stable.

While the impact is greatest in the South, public health officials have also been concerned in recent years about increases in gonorrhea rates in the West, with the reported rate of gonorrhea rising 17.1 percent between 2003 and 2007. Though the gonorrhea rate decreased slightly in the West from 2006 to 2007 (from 81.5 to 74.0 per 100,000 population), it is too early to determine if this indicates a reversal in the trend.

Between 2003 and 2007, the rate in the Northeast declined 15.1 percent (from 90.8 to 77.1) and the rate in the Midwest showed minimal change (from 135.8 in 2003 to 139.3 in 2007).
Additional Treatment Options Needed

Health Consequences of Gonorrhea

While gonorrhea is easily cured, untreated cases can lead to serious health problems similar to those caused by chlamydia. Among women, gonorrhea is a major cause of PID, which can lead to chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. In men, untreated gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful infection in the tissue surrounding the testicles that can result in sterility. In addition, studies suggest that the presence of gonorrhea infection increases the likelihood of HIV transmission.3

Drug resistance is an important concern in the treatment and prevention of gonorrhea.11 CDC monitors trends in gonorrhea drug resistance through the Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP), which tests gonorrhea samples (isolates) from the first 25 men with urethral gonorrhea attending STD clinics each month in sentinel clinics across the United States (30 STD clinics and five regional labs participated in GISP in 2007).12

In April 2007, based on data showing widespread drug resistance to fluoroquinolones, a leading class of antibiotics used to treat gonorrhea, CDC revised its gonorrhea treatment guidelines, no longer recommending that this class of antibiotics be used to treat gonorrhea in the United States.13

With the loss of fluoroquinolones, recommended gonorrhea treatments are limited to a single class of antibiotics, cephalosporins. Although recent data show no indication of cephalosporin resistance in the United States, continued monitoring for emerging resistance is critical, and accelerated research into new treatments are needed to continue the nation’s progress in controlling this common sexually transmitted disease.
Syphilis: Cases Continue to Increase

The rate of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis — the most infectious stages of the disease — decreased throughout the 1990s, and in 2000 reached an all-time low. However, over the past seven years, the syphilis rate in the United States has been increasing. Between 2006 and 2007, the national P&S syphilis rate increased 15.2 percent, from 3.3 to 3.8 cases per 100,000 population, and the number of cases increased from 9,756 to 11,466.
Increases Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Continue
Primary and Secondary Syphilis Rates by Gender, 1981-2007. Click for a larger image.
Click for a larger image

The rate of P&S syphilis among men increased 17.9 percent in 2007 (from 5.6 per 100,000 in 2006 to 6.6 per 100,000 in 2007) . Since 2005, data reported to CDC has included gender of partners for persons with syphilis and in 2007, 65 percent of all P&S syphilis cases were among MSM, based on data from 44 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, the disparity between male and female case rates has grown consistently. The P&S syphilis rate among males is now six times the rate among females, whereas the rates were almost equivalent a decade ago , suggesting that increases in men have largely been among men who sex with men.
Concerning Increases among Women and Infants

P&S syphilis rates remained substantially lower among females than males, though overall rates have increased each year among females since 2004, following more than a decade of declines. In 2007, the syphilis rate for females increased 10 percent (from 1.0 per 100,000 population in 2006 to 1.1 in 2007). This increase has occurred largely among black females, in whom rates rose 14.3 percent (from 4.9 in 2006 to 5.6 in 2007).

Additionally, the rate of congenital syphilis (i.e., transmission from mother to infant) increased for the second year in a row (from 9.3 per 100,000 live births in 2006 to 10.5 in 2007). Increases in congenital syphilis have historically followed increases among women.
Importance of Screening and Treatment
Health Consequences of Syphilis

Syphilis, a genital ulcerative disease, is highly infectious, but easily curable in its early (primary and secondary) stages. If untreated, it can lead to serious long-term complications, including brain, cardiovascular, and organ damage, and even death. Untreated syphilis in pregnant women can also result in congenital syphilis (syphilis among infants), which can cause stillbirth, death soon after birth, and physical deformity and neurological complications in children who survive. Syphilis, like many other STDs, facilitates the spread of HIV by increasing the likelihood of transmission of the virus.14

CDC recommends that sexually active MSM be tested for syphilis, as well as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV at least annually. To combat the increases in syphilis among MSM during the last decade, CDC has partnered with health departments and community groups in the cities hardest hit to implement new strategies for this population. These approaches range from new Internet-based strategies for notifying sexual partners to education campaigns targeted to high-risk populations and health care providers. As CDC continues to evaluate and work to replicate the most effective approaches to reducing this burden, it is clear that regular screening of MSM, especially HIV-positive MSM, remains one of the most critical steps toward preventing the spread of syphilis.

CDC also recommends that all pregnant women be screened for syphilis at the first prenatal visit. This is critical for protecting infants from the serious complications associated with congenital syphilis.
Racial Disparities Persist Across All Reportable STDs

Data in CDC’s 2007 STD surveillance report indicate persistent racial disparities in STD rates, with African Americans bearing a particularly heavy burden. Blacks represent only 12 percent of the total U.S. population, but made up about 70 percent of gonorrhea cases and almost half of all chlamydia and syphilis cases in 2007(48% and 46%, respectively). Similarly, disparities among Hispanics, though less severe, also exist for chlamydia. While Hispanics account for 15 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 19 percent of all reported chlamydia cases.

These disparities may be, in part, because racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to seek care in public health clinics that report STDs more completely than private providers. However, this reporting bias does not fully explain these differences. Socioeconomic barriers to quality healthcare and STD prevention and treatment services have likely contributed to a higher prevalence and incidence of STDs among racial and ethnic minorities. Ensuring that minority communities have access to prevention, screening, treatment and partner services needed to improve health is critical to addressing these disparities.
Chlamydia

In 2007, the rate of chlamydia among blacks was more than eight times higher than the rate among whites (1,398.7 vs. 162.3 per 100,000 population). Additionally, the rates among American Indians/Alaska Natives (732.3) and Hispanics (473.2), were approximately five times and three times higher than whites, respectively. The rate among Asians/Pacific Islanders was 139.5 per 100,000 population.
Gonorrhea

Racial disparities in gonorrhea rates are the most severe of all reportable STDs. The gonorrhea rate among blacks was 19 times greater than that of whites in 2007 (662.9 vs. 34.7 per 100,000 population). In 2007, there were declines in gonorrhea rates among all racial and ethnic groups, except blacks, among whom the gonorrhea rate increased by 1.8 percent between 2006 and 2007. In 2007, American Indians/Alaska Natives had the second-highest gonorrhea rate (107.1), followed by Hispanics (69.2), whites (34.7), and Asians/Pacific Islanders (18.8).
Syphilis

In 2007, the syphilis rate among blacks was seven times higher than that of whites (14.0 per 100,000 population as compared with 2.0). While this represents a substantial decline from 1999, when the rate among blacks was 29 times greater than among whites, significant disparities remain.

In 2007, the P&S syphilis rate among blacks increased for the fourth consecutive year, following more than a decade of declines. Between 2006 and 2007, the rate among blacks increased 25 percent (from 11.2 to 14.0 per 100,000 population), with the largest increase among black males (18.1 to 23.2, an increase of 28.2 percent). By comparison, the rate among black females increased 14.3 percent (4.9 to 5.6). In 2007, the rate of P&S syphilis in black females was 14 times higher than that of white females (5.6 as compared with 0.4 cases per 100,000).

Syphilis rates increased for all races and ethnicities in 2007, with the exception of Asians/Pacific Islanders, among whom the rate remained stable. The syphilis rate among Hispanics and American Indians/Alaska Natives increased 22.9 percent and 6.3 percent respectively between 2006 and 2007.
Intensified Efforts Needed to Address Significant Gaps in STD Prevention

To reduce the toll of STDs and protect the health of millions of Americans, expanded prevention efforts are urgently needed. In addition to the threat of infertility, increased risk of HIV acquisition and other health risks, STDs have a substantial economic impact. CDC estimates STDs cost the U.S. healthcare system as much as $15.3 billion annually in 2007 dollars.1, 15

CDC supports a comprehensive approach to STD prevention that includes expanded screening, treatment, and behavioral interventions, with a focus on reducing racial disparities.

In addition to recommending annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under 26 years of age, CDC also supports U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation to screen high-risk, sexually active women for gonorrhea.

To further progress against chlamydia, CDC, the Partnership for Prevention and eight other national organizations, established the National Chlamydia Coalition. The partnership is comprised of non-profit organizations, health care professional associations, advocacy groups, health insurers, and government representatives working together to reduce the rates of chlamydia and its harmful effects among sexually active adolescent and young adults, to raise awareness of the importance of chlamydia screening to sexual health, and to help improve adherence to recommended screening guidelines.

Eliminating syphilis as a health threat in the United States will also require an increased commitment to education, testing, and treatment in all populations affected. While the disease was on the verge of elimination in the late 1990s, shifts in disease transmission have since resulted in substantial new prevention challenges. While elimination efforts were originally targeted to heterosexuals in the geographic areas where syphilis was concentrated, increases in syphilis among MSM across the country have since required that limited resources be shifted to combat two distinct syphilis epidemics. As a result, declines in reported syphilis cases in some areas and populations continue to be offset by syphilis increases in others. Ultimately, successful elimination of this disease will require intensified efforts at the federal, state, and local levels to reach the diverse and expanded populations now at risk.
References

1 Weinstock H, et al. Sexually transmitted diseases among American youth: incidence and prevalence estimates, 2000. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 2004;36(1):6-10.

2 Hillis SD and Wasserheit JN. Screening for Chlamydia — A Key to the prevention of pelvic inflammatory disease. New England Journal of Medicine 1996;334(21):1399-1401.

3 Fleming DT and Wasserheit JN. From epidemiological synergy to public health policy and practice: the contribution of other sexually transmitted diseases to sexual transmission of HIV infection. Sexually Transmitted Infections 1999;75:3-17.

4 CDC. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2006;55(RR-11).

5 Scholes D et al. Prevention of pelvic inflammatory disease by screening for cervical chlamydial infection.External Web Site Icon New England Journal of Medicine 1996;334(21):1362-1366.

6 National Committee for Quality AssuranceExternal Web Site Icon. The State of Health Care Quality 2008. Washington, D.C., 2008.

7 Burstein G et al. Chlamydia screening in a health plan before and after a national performance measure introduction. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2005;106(2):327-334.

8 Whittington et al. Determinants of persistent and recurrent chlamydia trachomatis infection in young women: results of a multicenter cohort study. Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2001;28(2):117-123.

9 Reitmeijer CA et al. Incidence and repeat infection rates of chlamydia trachomatis among male and female patients in an STD clinic: implications for screening and rescreening. Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2002; 29(2):65-72.

10 Anschuetz et al. Determining risk markers for gonorrhea and chlamydial infection and reinfection among adolescents in public high schools. Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2009;36(1):4-8.

11 CDC. Increases in fluoroquinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae among men who have sex with men — United States, 2003, and revised recommendations for gonorrhea treatment, 2004. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2004;53(16):335-338.

12 CDC. Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project.

13 CDC. Update to CDC’s Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2006: Fluoroquinolones No Longer Recommended for Treatment of Gonococcal Infections. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2007;56(14):332-336.

14 CDC. HIV prevention through early detection and treatment of other sexually transmitted diseases — United States recommendations of the Advisory Committee for HIV and STD Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1998; 47(RR-12):1-24.

15 Chesson HW, et al. The estimated direct medical cost of sexually transmitted diseases among American youth, 2000. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 2004, 36(1): 11-19.

http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats07/trends.htm

And that was a nice edit in your quote .

 

[SmarterThanHick]

First, they were posted to blogs as reported by the CDC. STD's are up. Googl STD among teens and you will get all you need in big letters so you get it. From 1996 to now STD's are up. Then do it state by state and you will see it is up as well, especially among African Americans who also lead in abortions. The long and short is this, Abstinence training in school- Dont work, Sexual education in school- dont work. What is a fact it this, they both work when done at by parents .And you haven't proven shit other then Planned parenthood and there affiliate clinics say that . So try harder swamp donkey.

More fantastic unsupported guesses for me to tear apart, I see. So you continue to claim things are increasing since 1996 despite the CDC report from 2009 that you yourself posted stated the exact opposite. In the next post, you went on to copy and paste old information from the CDC from previous reports, while making no points.

So in summary: you are drawing completely unrelated conclusions regarding the ineffectiveness of sex ed in public schools because you cherry picked outdated articles from the CDC instead of using the most recent information available. You then used this irrelevant data to claim that an unrelated law is the reason that STDs are increasing, despite the data not showing it.

Perhaps a visual will help your understanding:

STD statistics for the USA

This is a graph of the CDC numbers over time. As you will see, it corresponds with the latest conclusions produced by the CDC regarding those three STDs, as mentioned in my previous post: gonorrhea is the lowest it has ever been recorded, chlamydia numbers are increasing due to better screening methods although the disease itself is not, and syphilis has not really changed. Note the time course of that graph. Note how the laws that defend adolescent privacy were enacted in early 2000 and there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN THE TRENDS AT THAT TIME.

If you were right, and these laws increase STDs, we would see massive spikes across the board. Not a single trend would continue in the same direction. Everything would take a sharp turn upward. But we don't see that at all. As I've said before, increased medical access has been proven to not increase risky behavior. All it does is increase treatment of affected individuals.

So once again: you're wrong. The CDC says you're wrong. The American Medical Association, the largest representation of doctors in the country, says you're wrong. The American Academy of Pediatrics says you're wrong. Yet somehow, in your ignorance and insignificant unsupported worldview, you think you are in a better position to determine policy than the country's brightest scientists and most experienced doctors.

MEANWHILE, it has been proven across every country and every study in this country that sex education is an effective method of decreasing unwanted pregnancy and STD transmissions. The data also shows that students who learn sex ed are not more likely to increase risky behaviors. This is not opinion. This is fact based on scientific analysis of reliable verifiable data. I base my ideas on such facts. You debase your ideas on opinions you thought up that are completely unsupported.

 

[Momanohedhunter]

First, they were posted to blogs as reported by the CDC. STD's are up. Googl STD among teens and you will get all you need in big letters so you get it. From 1996 to now STD's are up. Then do it state by state and you will see it is up as well, especially among African Americans who also lead in abortions. The long and short is this, Abstinence training in school- Dont work, Sexual education in school- dont work. What is a fact it this, they both work when done at by parents .And you haven't proven shit other then Planned parenthood and there affiliate clinics say that . So try harder swamp donkey.

More fantastic unsupported guesses for me to tear apart, I see. So you continue to claim things are increasing since 1996 despite the CDC report from 2009 that you yourself posted stated the exact opposite. In the next post, you went on to copy and paste old information from the CDC from previous reports, while making no points.

So in summary: you are drawing completely unrelated conclusions regarding the ineffectiveness of sex ed in public schools because you cherry picked outdated articles from the CDC instead of using the most recent information available. You then used this irrelevant data to claim that an unrelated law is the reason that STDs are increasing, despite the data not showing it.

Perhaps a visual will help your understanding:

STD statistics for the USA

This is a graph of the CDC numbers over time. As you will see, it corresponds with the latest conclusions produced by the CDC regarding those three STDs, as mentioned in my previous post: gonorrhea is the lowest it has ever been recorded, chlamydia numbers are increasing due to better screening methods although the disease itself is not, and syphilis has not really changed. Note the time course of that graph. Note how the laws that defend adolescent privacy were enacted in early 2000 and there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN THE TRENDS AT THAT TIME.

If you were right, and these laws increase STDs, we would see massive spikes across the board. Not a single trend would continue in the same direction. Everything would take a sharp turn upward. But we don't see that at all. As I've said before, increased medical access has been proven to not increase risky behavior. All it does is increase treatment of affected individuals.

So once again: you're wrong. The CDC says you're wrong. The American Medical Association, the largest representation of doctors in the country, says you're wrong. The American Academy of Pediatrics says you're wrong. Yet somehow, in your ignorance and insignificant unsupported worldview, you think you are in a better position to determine policy than the country's brightest scientists and most experienced doctors.

MEANWHILE, it has been proven across every country and every study in this country that sex education is an effective method of decreasing unwanted pregnancy and STD transmissions. The data also shows that students who learn sex ed are not more likely to increase risky behaviors. This is not opinion. This is fact based on scientific analysis of reliable verifiable data. I base my ideas on such facts. You debase your ideas on opinions you thought up that are completely unsupported.

Any one who wants can hit the link and see for them selves sex ed does not work, and only good parenting will. So google faster little swamp donkey, google faster !

 

[Momanohedhunter]

And one more time, as was posted from the CDC's web site and not a blog like your graph there. And CDC does not have results for 2011 on there web site yet. You also are wrong about privacy and teens at the Dr's office. No practice that wants to stay in business would go behind a parents back, an they sure as hell are not going to let a minor with no insurance just walk in and do there thing. The health department and even planned parenthood will call a parent and report that an issue was addressed concerning the child. They are only excused from disclosing what the issue was. That is how it is here and varies state to state .

 

[SmarterThanHick]

Oh I see. So all of the medical understanding of this world published in reputable verifiable scientific journals is all wrong because you say so. Amazing!

Nevertheless, doctors practices across the country respect adolescent privacy.

So despite the fact that all data shows that practices that allow access to teenagers is beneficial to them, you still don't want them to have it. Good thing they can still seek out care without your approval and you wouldn't even know it!