I'm currently taking Community Health with Teach along with this course. I read a very disturbing statistic in my text that I wanted to share. It stated, "...31% of teenage girls get pregnant at least once before they reach age 20" (McKenzie, Pinger, & Kotecki). The inital thought of this statistic shocked me, and then it got me thinking: If almost one in three girls become pregnant before the age of 20, can I make the assumption that one in three girls are probably not using protection? Sure, some of those pregnancies can be attributed to a torn condom or a pregnancy on the pill. But I suspect that the majority of those pregnancies resulted from not using protection. And if this many teens (and yes, I consider a 20 year old a teen) are not using protection, where is the sex ed in our high schools?
This week's QOTW was about helping an injured person who had HIV. I look forward to reading the answers from my fellow classmates. I wouldn't have a problem helping an HIV positive individual, even if they were profusely bleeding. I hope many of my classmates feel the same way.
Now if any teens end up on this blog for some reason, could you please read that statistic again? And run to Walgreen's and get some protection? The youth out there is scaring me.
"An Introduction to Community Health" by McKenzie, J., Pinger, R., and Kotecki J.
Did you know?
Africa is no doubt the place most in peril when it comes to HIV. Global efforts always seem to focus on Africa, and with good reason. The numbers of those suffering with HIV in Africa are staggering and there is still antiquated thinking that poses an obstacle to becoming fully educated about the disease. Despite the best efforts, however, part of that antiquated thinking comes up in the form of gay discrmination.
In 2007, Reuters reported that many gay Africans are faced with teasing and are ridiculed when they try to seek treatment for HIV. HIV is still considered pretty taboo in Africa, even with the prevalent numbers. Being openly gay is also criminalized in Africa. Combine that with gay discrimination and you now have a formula for disaster. This creates a population that is probably not going to seek treatment out of fear, embarrassment, or possible estrangement from their family and/or loved ones.
"Homophobic stigma, the denial of homosexuality, and legislation that criminalizes same-sex behavior, all serve to push the issue of same sex HIV transmission further underground, and drastically limit HIV services" (reuters.com).
Of all the places I can think of that doesn't need discrimination based on HIV, it is Africa. While I doubt it will happen anytime soon, Africa would be better off looking at the health of their people and not worrying about their private sexual practices. Once again, only through accurate and consistent education can we beat this disease.
31% is a very high number, but it is true. I hung out with a group of 6 girls in high school, and no lie 2 of them were pregnant before 20 years old. Their excuses were that their boyfriends didn't want to use a condom. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!! You can go to walk in clinics and get free condoms so ever girl should protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteI agree that if we educate people about HIV we will be able to beat the disease, but trying to teach all of Africa is a huge task. It all starts with the government, and if the government denies gay people or HIV positive people then so will all of the citizens.
Wow, that is an extremely disturbing statistic. Almost 1 in 3?? Thats almost unbelievable - I had no idea! If that is not a telltale sign that there is a serious lack of education then I don't know what is. Can we please stop pushing abstinence on teenagers because quite obviously it is not working. Lets educate them about protection from STDs and pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I had no idea that Africa criminalizes same sex behavior. That is so dangerous in a place where HIV is prevalent. Can you imagine the amount of people who are too afraid to be tested for HIV. That fear causes a continual spread of infection. So sad. I just don't understand. Who cares who someone has sex with - it does not affect the rest of the world in any way but HIV does.
I am not suprised about the statistic on teen pregnancies at all. I personally know several girls who became pregnant before age 21, some of them two or three times before that age. You all should look for this movie that came on Lifetime, (I believe) it was called the "Pregnancy Pact." It was about a group of girls who made a pact to all get pregnant at the same time. I know, it sounds pretty ridiculous, but like you stated Cindy, sex ed is not very effective right now.
ReplyDeleteSex education in schools is non existent. It is abstinence-based and has no reality in most teens minds. Girls don't give any thought to HIV just to becoming pregnant.
ReplyDeleteAfrica will need to make some big changes in their laws if they want to stem the tide of HIV infections. It will take some pretty brave souls to fight the system before that will happen.