Ethnic Differences in Std) Rates among Female Adolescents

Beginning of article

ABSTRACT

Ethnic differences in rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were examined in a sample of 205 female adolescents receiving care at two family planning clinics in Houston, Texas. New infection and reinfection rates following treatment were also investigated. Black teens had a higher rate of past STDs than did Hispanic or White teens. However, there were no differences in rates at the time of the clinic visit. Of the 143 (69.8%) teens who returned for follow-up care, 21 (14.7%) had new infections; Black teens had the highest rate. The findings indicated that programs for teens need to address cultural, ethnic, and gender issues.

Adolescents in general and minority adolescents in particular have significantly higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than do other groups. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1993a), every year three million teens (one out of every eight) are infected with an STD. Approximately 24-30% of gonorrhea cases reported in 1981 through 1991 were among adolescents. Some of the highest rates were for 15- to 19-year-old Black females. Further, adolescents accounted for 10-12% of reported primary and secondary syphilis cases. Syphilis rates for Black female adolescents increased more than 150% from 1986 to 1990, compared with increases of less than 50% for other ethnic groups. In addition, chlamydia rates were significantly higher among Black females than among White females (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993b). Rates of STD reinfection have also been found to be higher among minorities (Richert et al., 1993). STD reinfections are particularly serious b ecause they increase susceptibility to HIV (Rosenberg & Gollub, 1992).

Number of sexual partners and lack of condom use are considered the most significant factors in STD exposure. As the number of sexual partners increases, the cumulative risk for contracting an STD from an infected partner rises (Millstein, Moscicki, & Broering, 1993). Further, adolescents have been found not to use condoms consistently (Hingson, Strunin, & Berlin, 1990; Kegeles, Adler, & Irwin, 1988). Although rates of …