Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
|
|
Reuters Health (12.18.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002
Alison McCook
Elin Begley of Emory University in Atlanta found that teens who said they were dating someone at least two years older were half as likely as girls with partners closer to their own age to report consistent condom use during the past 30 days. Furthermore, girls with older partners were more than twice as likely to say their boyfriends had been with other partners during the past six months.
STD screening showed that those with older partners were almost four times as likely to have chlamydia. The trends persisted regardless of the women's level of education and knowledge about preventing HIV and other STDs.
All the participants in the current study were pregnant. Had they not been screened for STDs, untreated chlamydia could have posed serious health consequences for the fetuses. Begley screened and surveyed 170 pregnant African American girls between 14 and 20 who came to a prenatal clinic.
Begley gave several reasons why teens dating older men might take more sexual health risks than young girls with younger partners. Older partners, she noted, may be less willing to wear condoms and more interested in pregnancy. Also, she pointed out that older men may have had more partners and therefore would be more likely to give young partners chlamydia. Begley reported her findings at the recent 130th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association in Philadelphia.
She suggested that clinicians educate young women about protecting themselves from STDs and consider asking the age of their partners. Furthermore, she stressed that women with older partners could benefit from repeated STD screening during their pregnancies, as they were less likely to use condoms and thereby risked reinfection.
021220
AD022467
Copyright © 2002 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
.