Teens of color face many social and economic barriers that may make them more likely to take sexual risks and increase the chances of infection.
Every year, about four million teens will be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection. The facts are plain and simple — people who take risks sexually (or with IV drugs) are at risk for sexually transmitted infections.
But lately, health officials have expressed concern about a dangerous trend — black and Latino teens have a higher rate of sexually transmitted infections than their white peers. For example, rates of HIV are disproportionately high among teens of color, especially girls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
84 percent of girls age 13-19 with AIDS are black or Latina.
62 percent of guys age 13-19 with AIDS are black or Latino.
And it's not just HIV/AIDS that's a concern:
The rate of chlamydia infection in girls age 15-19 is seven times higher for black girls than white girls.
In 2001, 75 percent of all reported cases of gonorrhea were among black women and men.
In 1999, the rate of syphilis infection was four times higher among Latinas/Latinos than white women and men.
These differences in infection rates are alarming. But why do they exist? Good question. The higher rate of infection among youth of color has nothing to do with biology. One factor that does account for the difference is that teens of color often engage in more risky sexual behaviors:
More black and Latina/Latino teens have had sexual intercourse than their white peers.
Black and Latina/Latino teens are more likely to have had four or more sexual partners.
More than half of Latina teens did not use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse.
Also, research shows that teens of color face many social and economic barriers that may make them more likely to take sexual risks and increase the chances of infection:
Many Latina/Latino teens have to deal with cultural issues like machismo. A woman who asks a man to use a condom may be perceived as questioning his judgment, which is considered unacceptable. This may explain why Latinas/Latinos are the group of teens least likely to use condoms.
Many black teen girls believe their sexual partner would be insulted or angry if they asked him about his HIV status or sexual history. And often, they are afraid to ask their partners to use condoms.
Many teens of color — both guys and girls — have misconceptions about how HIV is transmitted.
Young people of color, especially girls, often lack access to quality health care and educational services that focus on preventing and treating infections.
So what can be done to stop this dangerous trend? If you're a teen of color, you can take steps to reduce your risk of infection:
Speak Up! Talk to your partner about sexually transmitted infections and how you can prevent them. Ask your partner if she or he has taken any risks with sex or IV drug use. Having vaginal or anal intercourse without a latex or female condom is the highest-risk sexual activity for HIV and other infections.
Cover Up! Latex and female condoms are the only methods of birth control that also reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections. They block the exchange of body fluids that may carry infection. Other ways to reduce the risk of passing HIV/AIDS and other infections include keeping your partner's body fluids out of your body — vagina, anus, or mouth. The body fluids to be most careful about are blood, ejaculate, pre-ejaculate, vaginal fluids, and the discharge from sores caused by sexually transmitted infections.
Check Up! If you've taken risks with sex or IV drugs, the only way to be sure whether or not you have an infection is to visit a clinician, be honest about your sexual history, and have some tests done. Some people with sexually transmitted infections will have symptoms of an infection, but other people can have an infection, like HIV, and have no symptoms at all. Many Planned Parenthood clinics offer affordable or free tests. Call 1-800-230-PLAN for the nearest Planned Parenthood clinic, or use the Clinic Connections button below.
Sexuality and relationship info you can trust from Planned Parenthood® Federation of America
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