Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Is abstinence the best approach to prevention?
By Sarah Glazer

The United States has the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of any industrialized nation. Yet some experts contend the U.S. has no concerted, national campaign to prevent and cure infection. While new AIDS cases have fallen dramatically in the U.S., adolescents, minorities and women suffer disproportionately high rates of all sexual infections. The Bush administration says abstinence. . . .

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Is “abstinence-only” the best sex-education policy for schools to implement?

Elizabeth Bradley Math Teacher, Lewiston High School, Lewiston, Maine; 2000 Presidential Award Recipient. From National Education Association Web Site, www.nea.org/neatoday /0302/debate.html	Eileen Toledo English Teacher, Pablo Avila Junior High School, Camuy, Puerto Rico; Administers the “Baby, Think It Over” program. From National Education Association Web Site, www.nea.org/neatoday /0302/debate.html

Black Women Have Highest AIDS Rate

Experts are still trying to puzzle out why African-American straight women are contracting AIDS faster than any other demographic group. Black women are 23 times more likely to have AIDS than white women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that the higher rate of poverty among blacks might contribute to the higher infection rates, because poverty limits access to the quality health care that could help prevent progression of the disease.

In addition, black men in heterosexual relationships may be more likely to secretly engage in risky anal sex — known as sex “on the down low” — with other men than white men. A higher percentage of black males have used intravenous drugs and spent time in prison, where they are likely to be exposed to anal sex, increasing their risk of contracting HIV.

Finally, black men and women have the highest sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates of any ethnic group in the nation. Compared to whites, blacks are 20 times more likely to have gonorrhea and five times more likely to have syphilis. Open sores caused by STDs like herpes can serve as an entry point for HIV, and the presence of certain STDs can increase the chances of contracting HIV by three- to fivefold, according to recent studies. Similarly a person infected with both HIV and another STD has a greater chance of spreading HIV to other sexual partners.

[1] See, Jon Cohen, “A Silent Epidemic,” www.slate.com, Oct. 27, 2004.

Footnote: 1. See, Jon Cohen, “A Silent Epidemic,” www.slate.com, Oct. 27, 2004.

[2] CDC, “STD Surveillance 2003,” www.cdc.gov.

Footnote: 2. CDC, “STD Surveillance 2003,” www.cdc.gov.