Sound Off: Half of Black Teen Girls Has an STD???

By Angela Bronner, BlackVoices.com

fourty eight percent of black teen girls has an std Last Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control released a study that found that one in four young women or 3.2 million teenage girls is infected with a sexually transmitted disease.

The kicker is, according to the study, nearly half of African American girls (or 48%) in this age group has least one of the following: the human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes, or trichomoniasis, with HPV leading the charge.

Yes, that's right, according to the CDC -- one out of every two African American girls ages 14-19 has an STD.

The report, sponsored by the CDC and conducted by the NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics), took a national sample of 838 young women. The study did not include the STDs syphilis, HIV or gonorrhea.

In a word, this is alarming.

Does this mean that if there are 20 tenth graders at a bus stop, say, the cheerleading squad at an all black high school -- that 10 of them has HPV?

In a word, no, or not necessarily, according to Dr. Stuart Berman, Chief of Epidemiology and Surveillances, STDs at the Centers for Disease Control.

"Put in context, you take a sample, but a sample done in a smart way, so you can extrapolate the data," Dr. Berman explains. "What this study says, is that this is a problem for the country. It's your kid, my kid, the neighbor across the street."

Berman further cautions not to take these results and stigmatize teens, young black women, or by default, young black men, who are most likely their sexual partners.

"These things can be stigmatizing but [loose sexual behavior] is not the reason [for the higher rates]," he says. "Once the community risk is higher, even if your behavior is not higher, the chances are greater."

The doctor says social and economic factors such as access to care, low or no health insurance, incarceration, and racism, all add up.

"There's an aggregate of a whole bunch of community factors, each doing a little bit, making it a little more prevalent," says Dr. Berman.

The key to making any inroads into this problem, says the good doctor, is to have frank, and honest discussions with our kids.

"A lot of kids think, 'He she looks healthy,' 'I'm in love' 'He or she doesn't have any symptoms' and therefore are not at risk. Who is talking to them?"

The two most common STDs in the study -- HPV, and chlamydia -- may not show any symptoms.

The most contagious of these infections, the human papillomavirus, HPV, or genital warts, is responsible for 70% of all cervical cancers. Black women are at least 50% more likely to die from cervical cancer than white women.

HPV and chlamydia are in fact treatable; also, that there is now an HPV vaccine against the virus.

The CDC also reported on results from pilot programs in New York City and California, where the agency found that if you test for STDs where young women get care for other gynecological issues such as pregnancy tests, emergency contraceptives (and I would add abortions) – all of which assume unprotected intercourse -- we can begin to stem the tide.

The agency recommends annual chlamydia screenings for sexualy active women under age 25 and vaccination against HPV for young women and girls between the ages of 11 and 26.

"It's like that show 'Hill Street Blues," says Dr. Berman, who laughs as he says he is dating himself with that reference. "We have to tell our kids, you have to be careful out there."

Sound off.

Tips for STD Prevention

Fighting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is important, because STDs can put women at greater risk for:

Cervical cancer
Pregnancy
Heart disease

What is the best way to react to the news that you have an STD?

Panic
Denial
Seek proper treatment

Should you wait until you or a loved one have symptoms to plan for reproductive health?

Yes
No
I'm not sure

While HPV can cause cervical cancer, Chlamydia can lead to:

Kidney disease
Infertility
Lung problems

The CDC recommends vaccination against HPV for women and girls between the ages of 11 and 26. What is the name of the HPV vaccine?

JAMA
Elsevier
Gardasil

Is there any way to completely prevent STDs?

Yes
No
I'm not sure

If you cannot abstain from sex, which contraceptive can protect you from many STDs?

Birth control pills
Condoms
The IUD

How often do you need to use a condom for effective protection?

Most of the time
All the time
Only with strangers

Does a woman have other options if she cannot get her partner to use a condom?

Yes
No
I'm not sure

What is the most important thing for a teen to remember about STDs?

Get tested and practice prevention
Don't worry, be happy
Only have sex with trusted partners

Reader Comments

1. True love waits until marriage and being faithful to your spouse.Their are so many ills that affect the black community.Yet we still look at bet and see how they portray young women as props in videos then we wonder what is going on.When will we as black people demand more from this cable network.

africa at 5:22PM on Mar 18th 2008

2. What they aren't telling you is that one out of ever two PEOPLE period has HPV. If you are sexually active, and have had more than one partner, chances are you have some strand of HPV

leslie at 7:27PM on Mar 18th 2008

3. When it comes to record keeping, it's probably easy enough track black people. Many of us use public facilities that must keep strict records as to the services rendered and to whom, i.e. public clinics and the ER. Sadly, if the statistics are that high for young African-American females, then race is in world of trouble. It is nice to preach abstinence, but can someone preach about the ills of peer pressure and the young stud who "needs to prove his 'manhood'." Or worse the slick-talking older man that wants some young stuff. The lack of meaningful dialogue in the home about sex is disturbing. We can not continue telling young people, don't do that without properly explaining what that is and why they should not do that. We can not continually congratulate teens on their pregnancies, when actually we should be wishing them good luck --- they and their babies are going to need it.
Woe is us??

Lydia at 10:48PM on Mar 18th 2008

4. Here we go blame the black teens are we really suppose to believe this.Teens in every race are having way to much sex these days and I know because the kids in my family have freinds in all races and the be talking about it and they all be in that line at the clinic getting condoms and meds NEXT

100 % Real at 4:09AM on Mar 19th 2008

5. This is really sad. I'm happy that I ended up dating a sister that has no type of diseases. We both got tested and we have a clean bill.

I'm in my 20's. If about 48 percent of these teenage baby females have an STD, I can only imagine how many women who are in their mid to late 20s that have the disease.

If by some unfortunate event something happens between the relationship between me and current girlfriend, whom is a black female, I will definitely not date anymore black girls. Dating a sister is like putting a gun to your head that has one bullet and you got a 50/50 shot of being killed. Too risky for me..The only type of black women that I would date if I were single again are virgins, especially those that are saving themselves for marriage.

note: this message was not meant to defame sisters in anyway. I love black women. but based on the stats, it is way too risky to date one.

Flipmasta at 9:36AM on Mar 19th 2008

6. From what I'm hearing it's not only black female teenagers, it's teenagers from every race.. Something has got to be done to save the youth from the desturction they are facing and don't even realize it.

iLL NaNA at 11:14AM on Mar 19th 2008

7. LORDY ,LORDY,THE GIRLS FROM THE HOOD AINT NO GOOD !
DIRTY PIES ! LOL !!!!

Righty Whitey at 11:56AM on Mar 19th 2008

8. Please!!! That is B.S. We have to stop believing these polls and statistics. They are not conducted by us or for us. Do you really believe if they determine whites to have a higher rate in STD's or HIV they would say that. Hell No! We need more black researchers. One more note to consider. We have to never forget the Tuskeegee Men. There was also reports of Black men standing a greater chance to contract it. They forgot to mention the men was purposely injected with the virus. As black people we must remember that experience and spread the word in community and family that participating in these studies can have grave consequences. Don't do it. They will also make claims that the numbers were obtained by the Board of Health and other medical institutions. http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/veeta/gGBbtc

Dembomember at 12:54PM on Mar 19th 2008

9. The question is why aren't parents teaching their young daughters about the need to waite until marriage before they have sex. That is the question these results from the CDC are truly alarming. The Bible doesn't lie. People who make claims that the CDC is picking on AAW are in denial. Every study isn't an racial issue. This HPV virus is transmitted from men to women. Please do the reasearch. Young women between the ages of 14-19 need to wake up and stop thinking it can't happen to me. WE can't blame the White man because our daughters are sleeping around. It is time to take responsibility and follow the Bible admonition to wait until married to have sex. We have seen the bad fruitage of what not heeding the Bible admonition ( unwanted pregnancies, guilty concious, pain of heart, STD's, AIDS, and Death) and also when these women settle down and want to get married they will not be able to conceive children because of the cervical cancer. Please young women love your body and your self. Peace.

TEE TEE at 1:15PM on Mar 19th 2008

10. The young man who said the girls in the hood ain't no good. Please do your reasearch the Disease is transmitted from the men to the women They are the carriers of the HPV. If more males went to the Doctor the results would alarm you. Remember this HPV can be transfered to an unborn baby and it can lay dormant for nearly 20 years then resurface in this young women when she turns 20. It is interesting that most young men want to marry a virgin. They need to ask themselves am I pressuring girls to have sex. If this is the case then why aren't they encouraging young wome to save them selves. Sound like a double standard. Young men need to take more responsibility for their action in this regard instead of having a lax attitude in this regard. Peace

TEE TEE at 1:33PM on Mar 19th 2008

11. Flipmasta and all who believe this propaganda,

You say that you will no longer date sistahs. Well, is the data accurate--and that we'll never know--because the data has to match who they want to push Gardasil to. CDC makes money off of this drug too and we all know the risk of these pharmaceutics: they cause more disease and ailments than they cure. Better 11- 13-year-old black girls than anybody else...right? Could be the same reason HIV has not yet been declared by the government an epidemic. More black women affected by it. Afterall, the womb is the only entry into the world.

Let me ask you, if this many sistahs have these diseases, who do you think they are getting them from? Most likely black men right. As many white women screw brothas as black women. In fact more brothas are screwing outside of the race, than black women are. Maybe, that is why sistahs are at greater risk. Condoms don't protect anyone 100%.

So your solution to the problem is: don't date anymore black women. Another of those efforts to make sistahs seem like the villain in America. Besides, no body said you would not catch a disease from a white women or any other.

Do you think your black girlfrined would appreciate the comment you made. Are the two of you negative because you got lucky tested that way or because you protected yourself? Suppose you marry this woman and have a black child together--a girl. Will you spread the word to young brothas not to date her to avoid catching a disease, or will you nuture your black and beautiful girl child to the point that she will not lack self-love, self-esteem, and male nurtuirng so important to the development of any young girl, black or white, which many black girls lack because their fathers were not present to help her distinguish real love from a lust that breeds for the others own lack of self-love. Tell me, what will you do? Sistahs need the support of black men, when we a being attacked in this manner. Its unfair!

Overall, parents of all races need to better educate and nuture their children, especially if blacks are the highest carriers. It seems everybody wants a piece of chocolate these days! Hee Hee!

black girl at 1:45PM on Mar 19th 2008

12. I'll bet the stats are just as high for al teens. Don't just say 50% of black female teens have std's. What about the ones that aren't sexually active and have not had to go to the doctor. If that is the case then all White and Mexican teen girls must have this disease because we all know they are a lot faster and there are a lot more of them than us. This should have been a study on teens, not just black teens. Then we would have gotten a more accurate report.

Jaqteshn at 2:01PM on Mar 19th 2008

13. This is sad and I believe it's probably true. I work in the educational system with teen girls. There is lots of sex going on, among all races and definitely among about 1/2 of black youth. I think if there is a difference in the numbers it likely reflects the influences of society in behavioral choices. Black girls see more images of themselves as sexually promiscuous, they hear more music promoting them in this way and more importantly they view few media representations of blacks in healthy married relationships.

Additionally, I think many youth are uninformed. I took a class recently in Human Sexuality and we viewed photos of all these STDs. We were adults and yet for the entire class it was an eye-opening experience. I think all pre-teens and teens need to discuss sexuality in a male-female setting and see the ramifications of choices too often made in the dark, in the harsh light of day. Abstinence is a choice, and so is selectiveness, monogamy and marriage. I don't care if they teach the classes in church, they need to really KNOW what they're getting into when they choose sexual behavior so that they can decide appropriately what to do.

As a community we must stop denying the situation exists and stop pointing the finger at the kids like they raised themselves. These teens did not get this way on their own. However they are behaving it is because they were allowed to do so. We can't be indiscreet and out of control sexually and then wonder where our kids got the behavior from. We can't allow exploitation of sexuality in the media and not understand it puts all youth at-risk especially those who due to no fault of their own, may be most vulnerable. Our communities black and white will suffer in the long term for this misuse of sexuality...

Cheri at 2:14PM on Mar 19th 2008

14. JUNGLE ROTT !
LAUDY,LAUDY ! LOL !!!!!!

Righty Whitey at 2:35PM on Mar 19th 2008

15. SINCE AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE THE SECOND LARGEST MINORITY IN THE U.S. A HOW CAN YOU FAIRLY SAY THAT ARE THE MOST LIKLY GROUP OF TEENS TO HAVE A STD. IF THE THE WERE NOT SO FRIGHTEN OF TELLING OR SHOWING ARE YOU THE TRUTH ABOUT STDS KNOWING THAT MOST LIKLY ABSTESIM IS NOT WORKING TRY SHOW THEM SAFE SEX . HOW SIMPLE IT IS TO GET THE HPV. BE SERIOUS AND WE MIGHT SEE SOME CHANGES. TY esslynn@aol.com

AUDREY ESSLEY at 2:45PM on Mar 19th 2008

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