STIs on the rise in 15-to24-year-olds

Apparently, our generation isn’t generation Y; it’s generation chlamydia.

In a journal… Apparently, our generation isn’t generation Y; it’s generation chlamydia.

In a journal published by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a not-for-profit institute, there were 18.9 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections reported, 9.1 million of which occurred in people in the 15-to-24-year-old age group. That is, this age group, which makes up one-fourth of the sexually active people in the United States, accounts for one-half of the reported STIs.

Perhaps this data will be the crucial point that convinces Congress not to fund abstinence-only education. Another report, published in the American Journal of Sociology, states that such education leads to delaying the age at which teens have sex — a good thing — but that they tend not to use condoms when they do — a bad thing.

Also, with abstinence-only education being pushed so heavily by President George W. Bush, teens will have less access to reliable information.

Sex education in public schools is not a religious issue; it’s a matter of public health. Clearly, the public, at least the 15-to-24-year-old part of it, isn’t getting the message. STIs are prevalent and easily spread, and some, such as chlamydia and the human papillomavirus, are easily treated, if identified early. But, if not identified, chlamydia can lead to infertility and HPV can lead to genital warts or cervical cancer.

It’s also time for adults — politicians, teachers, parents and the 18-and-over segment of the studied age group — to take responsibility for the public’s sexual health. That means providing funding for education that actually works.

But, before we all get out the “Bush gave me my STI” signs, we should remember that parents are responsible for their children’s health. Sex education shouldn’t begin at 15 — it should begin at home, with parents honestly addressing questions concerning sex and sexuality. It’s hard for many parents to imagine that their little angels could be having sex, and therefore don’t discuss it, until it’s too late and their little angels have chlamydia. Parents often have the choice between explaining what sex is, or explaining why something is itching.

And for college students like us, it’s time to take responsibility for ourselves. The days of mandatory sex education are over. Instead, we need to make and keep doctors’ appointments, be honest with our partners about our sexual histories, use condoms and realize that we too are vulnerable. As lame of a name as Generation Y is, at least it’s better than Generation STI.