Teenage nightmare: 25% of American girls have STDs
posted at 2:15 pm on March 11, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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If anyone needs evidence that a sexually permissive society can damage its children, a new CDC study provides it. A study shows that 25% of all teenage American girls have at least one sexually-transmitted disease, at least one of which can cause cancer and infertility:
One in four teenage girls in the United States has a sexually-transmitted disease, a study has indicated.
The study, by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found an even higher prevalence of STDs among black girls.
Researchers analysed data from a nationally representative sample of 838 US girls aged 14 to 19.
A virus that causes cervical cancer - HPV - was the most common, followed by chlamydia, trichomoniasis and herpes.
The rate goes much higher among black teenage girls, closer to 50%, but whites and Hispanics have rates above 20%. The prevalence of HPV should cause a great deal of concern. It portends not just a costly health-care eradication program but also a wave of cancer and infertility that will have dire consequences for the US in later years. It’s especially sad, since HPV can be prevented with a simple vaccine, if given early enough.
Interestingly, no study has been done on teenage boys, and the BBC report doesn’t mention them at all. Girls have more risk in the long-term damage these infections can do, but obviously boys have to be passing these infections along. The CDC’s recommendations for better screening for sexually active teenage girls should also apply to the teenage boys. At the very least, we shouldn’t be placing all of the burden of these STDs on one partner in the transaction.
The size of the sample seems rather small. Using 838 cases for a study gives enough information for a theory about the prevalence of the disease in the general population, but the CDC should widen its study to see if the numbers hold up — and they should start testing boys as well. If confirmed, it shows that we have failed to educate our children about the risks of sexual activity. Making condoms as available as Chap-Stick obviously hasn’t made them any safer or wiser.
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Coincidentally, the family guy episode where Lois wants to teach sex-ed in school was on last night on cartoon network. I hate that episode, cuz (for some reason) the concept of (wait for it) teaching kids yourself is never mentioned at all. It was all about abdicating parental responsibility onto the government.
lorien1973 on March 11, 2008 at 2:20 PM
I think it’s clear abstinence only works. If on the other hand they knew to use condoms all hell would break loose.
freevillage on March 11, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, affected 18% of the girls surveyed…
Looks like that is the culprit right there.
bnelson44 on March 11, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Because abstinence is an utter failure at preventing STD’s, right?
Grafted on March 11, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Liberating girls to explore their sexuality just like boys has been such a healthy thing, hasn’t it?
NellE on March 11, 2008 at 2:23 PM
I guess a Spay or Neuter You Teen campaign is right out?
Vote Sauron 08 on March 11, 2008 at 2:23 PM
I really don’t trust the survey size or study to craft a blanket statement about the medical condition of America’s youth. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but it seems like a hell of an assertion to make.
NeoconNews.com on March 11, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Since abstinence in boys and men is considered an aberration, and they are encouraged to nail as many females as they can, why should anyone be shocked that girls would be exposed to all these stds? And no, I don’t want to hear the lame excuse that men are just wired that way and can’t help themselves.
Blake on March 11, 2008 at 2:23 PM
The Libs on the ABC site say its because the Schools arent allowed to hand out condoms to kids taht this problem exists. They want Taxpayers to fund condoms for teens without parental permission.
William Amos on March 11, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Jocelyn Elders was right! She remains right. And yet too often the people who see teenage promiscuity as a problem attack those of us who bring up the only way we can realistically address the problem: encouraging self-love as an alternative to the messages in the media.
thuja on March 11, 2008 at 2:24 PM
They are wired that way. But you’re right that they actually can help themselves.
freevillage on March 11, 2008 at 2:25 PM
No, it’s especially sad because they ALL can be prevented by not fornicating… but that’s to easy.
TOPV on March 11, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Can be are the operative words here. Even in the ads for this vaccine the makers admit it may not prevent all forms of the HP virus, including those that cause cancer (it only targets 4 strains). The shot probably has an effect of making girls think they are safe to get it on, and that they should be doing so. A surefire way to prevent cancer and infertility is to have the yearly Pap-smear exam recommended for all sexually active gals.
Unfortunately, this would require personal responsibility and we sure as heck don’t want that in a Socialist nanny-state.
NTWR on March 11, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Not saying that teenagers shouldn’t practice abstinence, but younger women are especially susceptible to HPV.
I am not advocating another government program to tell kids its ok to have sex, but this especially, seems like it can be easily prevented.
kcluva on March 11, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Just in time for spring break!
ronsfi on March 11, 2008 at 2:28 PM
What Planned Parenthood and others never say is that condoms let through certain viri that are too small to be caught in the material. So even if they used them every time, stuff would get through. And we’re talking about kids here. If they’re irresponsible enough to be having sex, they’re not responsible enough to be “protecting” themselves.
Abstinence is best. It can be taught. It can be done. We have three kids’ worth (1 boy, 2 girls) of proof, as well as knowing other parents who have been equally successful in teaching their children well in spite of this culture and society.
Mommynator on March 11, 2008 at 2:29 PM
Dude, this is America… we should by promoting personal responsibility AND discovering vaccines/cures.
ScottMcC on March 11, 2008 at 2:29 PM
There are so many strains of HPV, though, and the vax only covers four. Most Americans have one strain or another - if you have a wart on your hand (or foot, wherever), you too have HPV.
My daughter’s five, and she’s already getting the sex talk. My mother never talked to me, and for a while there, it showed. The eventual consequence of my actions has to sit through Mommy and Daddy telling her that sex is a no-go until she is an adult (before she starts kindergarten).
the goddess anna on March 11, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Where was the study done is more the question.
Inner Cities? 1 cow towns? During a week, the percentage of free clinics send in a report thoughout the country?
Doesn’t say…. but makes you wonder.
upinak on March 11, 2008 at 2:30 PM
… but WHATEVER you do, don’t you dare ask for School Vouchers!
Seven Percent Solution on March 11, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Great. More proof to the Islamists that our country is full of whores.
Have a nice day, Mohammed.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on March 11, 2008 at 2:31 PM
That sample size is way too small.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstinence,_be_faithful,_use_a_condom
ninjapirate on March 11, 2008 at 2:31 PM
ROTFLMAO!! No need for education OR condoms, right?
a capella on March 11, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Remember what I said about Masturbation earlier? I rest my case, and this is why.
8-D
WayWard Fundamentalist Christian on March 11, 2008 at 2:32 PM
So the logic is: if a kid wants to have sex then he’s too irresponsible to put on a condom. So the solution is… to tell him not to have sex. Because… uhmm, he’ll be responsible enough to reverse himself even though he wasn’t responsible enough…
OK, makes sense!
freevillage on March 11, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Well, I’ve lived in my share of the later and lack of opportunity is not the issue.
I also question the %. I’m sure it is high but 1 in 4? This sounds suspiciously like 750,000 dead Iraqis.
Limerick on March 11, 2008 at 2:34 PM
This cannot be!
After decades of advocating sex education in high school, then onto middle school, and in some cases, elementary school, how can this be?
Condoms are available free in some schools and clinics. Most places parental conscent is not even needed. So how can this be???
Luckily, I am sure some smart Liberal will quickly come up with the solution:
In School: Less God, More Trojans!
Combine Physical Ed with Sex Ed!
Petting Zoos: Less Animals, More Teenagers!
Our current policy on sexual education is a lot like Communism: Sure it has failed everywhere, but that is only because no one has done it right yet!
(Note: I’m not really sure if the petting zoo concept has been tried yet, but I hear weird stories from Washington State…)
SwampRat on March 11, 2008 at 2:34 PM
I thought Hotair was supposed to be more discerning than the MSM in spreading alarmist pap. This headline is certifiably bogus and needs to be revised or the thread deleted.
The national percentage of sexually active high school students is a little under 40% for whites and around 60% for blacks (male and female). That means — according to this “study” — virtually every sexually active American girl has a STD (i.e. the female half of the aggregate). Total nonsense.
miles on March 11, 2008 at 2:34 PM
But.. but… I don’t want to go blind!
Zetterson on March 11, 2008 at 2:35 PM
OK, before this thread turns into a “condoms or not” fight, HPV also is transmitted just through CONTACT with sexual organs, so condoms don’t work for it anyway.
NTWR on March 11, 2008 at 2:35 PM
My self-edit kung-fu is strong today.
James on March 11, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Abercrombie’s chastity belts ain’t selling, eh?
emailnuevo on March 11, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Ahhh, I remember my carefree teenage girls years. Oh wait, I’m a man. Whew!
robblefarian on March 11, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Mommynator
That simply isn’t true, those pores are a myth. Would you like to point me to scientific material that says otherwise?
These teens are communicating the STDs through two ways:
1) Not using condoms
2) Contact of skin or fluid in a place other than the condom.
The quality of the condoms is not even close to the issue here. I suspect VERY few teenagers even use condoms. They are either too embarassed to buy them or too stupid to use them. And even if they DO use them reason #2 still applies.
Dr. Manhattan on March 11, 2008 at 2:37 PM
I may have read the stuff somewhere else, but hasn’t HA had a post or two in the past about a school or a school board that was trying to make these vaccinations available/compulsory, without parental consent, to girls as young a 12?
Frozen Tex on March 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Christ, how hard is it for these kids to figure out how to use a rubber?
I mean, obviously, every man here knows that sex with a condom is crummy, but it’s much less crummy than an unwanted pregnancy or an STD?
But I agree with Limerick - there’s no way this number is right. Someone at CDC screwed up. I second Limerick’s b.s. call on this.
Enrique on March 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
D’oh! And I thought I was safe roaming the high schools.
Tzetzes on March 11, 2008 at 2:39 PM
Anyone still think Sex Education is a violation of parental rights?
THE CHOSEN ONE on March 11, 2008 at 2:39 PM
Re: masturbation - Hubby and I have already agreed to promote this to our kids. I’d rather them know how to please themselves anyway, and less possibility of “Mom, I’m/she’s pregnant!”
the goddess anna on March 11, 2008 at 2:39 PM
How many physicals did you get in high school?
emailnuevo on March 11, 2008 at 2:39 PM
Limerick on March 11, 2008 at 2:34 PM
well you know… gotta get your data from somewhere I guess! But I guess they don’t believe in a controlled enviroment.
upinak on March 11, 2008 at 2:40 PM
Is there any chance we could go back to calling them “Venereal Diseases”? Or is that too harsh on the goddess of love?
(In Greek they’re called ἀφροδίσιες νόσοι or ἀφροδίσια νοσήματα, viz. “aphrodisian diseases”.)
Tzetzes on March 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Frozen Tex on March 11, 2008 at 2:38 PM
yep that would be NY if I remember right… or Maine.
upinak on March 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Head to Cabo where the gonorrhea is duty-free.
Vote Sauron 08 on March 11, 2008 at 2:42 PM
Must be nice to be able to ignore a whole post to justify your laziness.
Keep reading. My husband and I and other families have successfully raised abstinent (until marriage) children. It is possible to do so. It was more prominent to do so until the lies perpetrated by the sexual revolution about “free” love and being able to have sex without consequences.
But you go right ahead and lead your kids into STD/HIV/emotional stuntedness hell.
Mommynator on March 11, 2008 at 2:43 PM
I guess that the infertility problem will solve the abortion problem.
Oh, wait, abortion isn’t a problem.
OK, I’ll keep thinking.
OhEssYouCowboys on March 11, 2008 at 2:45 PM
I’d hope that any physical that involved contact with mucous membranes was done with gloves…
Otherwise, you got a physical from someone who flunked out of med school.
Techie on March 11, 2008 at 2:45 PM
With abysmal math skills like yours I’m not surprised you think it’s “total nonsense”. 40% of MALES AND FEMALES are sexually active. 20% of FEMALES have an STD. How you got “virtually every sexually active American girl has an STD” is beyond me. You don’t just divide the 40% by two and then subtract the 20% since they’re not percentages of the same population.
Darth Executor on March 11, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Too small a sample group to be honest.
And who here really thinks that abstinence is any kind of solution? I’d love to know the actual success of movements like ‘The Silver Ring Thing’ and ‘True Love Waits’.
For that matter, the best place I can think of to get laid, aside from the Mayflower hotel, is your average evangelical church. No joke.
Don’t be too quick to blame this stat on ’sexual permissiveness’ and liberalism.
Ares on March 11, 2008 at 2:46 PM
From what I understand the vaccine that recently came out isn’t good for all strains of HPV.
I assume you’re being sarcastic, but no one is teaching abstinence only. And as far as condoms go, they’re really not complicated. People who are too stupid to use condoms without needing a teacher are people who are too stupid to have sex.
That said, even perfect use of condoms fails 3% of the time.
We can’t protect teens from every negative consequence of sexual activity. Attempting to do so is only causing us more problems. What we need is to properly educate them on what they’re actually doing, the risks involved (emotional and physical) and help them make an adult decision.
Esthier on March 11, 2008 at 2:47 PM
Grotesque figures - agree that the sample size is small but urgent inquiry into the true scale of the problem is now vital.
Just a thought - why isn’t his promoted as a safe alternative to intercourse alongside abstinence?
Pax americana on March 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
838 out of, what, minimum 50/60 million kids in that age group? Real ‘representative’.
Not.
However, I think that STDs are in fact on the rise amongst teens and pre-teens, and for that we can thank Billy Jeff, who taught us all that oral sex isn’t really sex. So now we have 7th grade kids who know what blow jobs are and that there are kids in their school rumored to be experimenting with same.
Thanks, Mr. Clinton.
Mr. Bingley on March 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Maine, Portland I think.
Geronimo on March 11, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Abstinence doesn’t work when kids are bombarded by a sexually permissive culture from every other direction. That’s why abstinence education should be coupled with a solid beating (or maybe electroshock therapy) so they start associating sex with intense pain.
Darth Executor on March 11, 2008 at 2:53 PM
The utter stupidity of sex education is the belief that “educating” kids will get them to use condoms.
Newsflash #1 - males prefer to not use condoms. Ask Gov. Spitzer
Newsflash #2 - kids are irresponsible and may not care all of the time whether or not they have condoms.
Newsflash #3 - BF Skinner’s behavioral modification works on rats and dogs, not on kids
“Sex education” is an utter and complete failure, but then so are our overfunded, almost worthless public “schools”.
NoDonkey on March 11, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Texas was doing it
Maine was giving birthcontrol
upinak on March 11, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Gimme a break….the Vaccine makers have been trying to push a mandatory HPV for over a year now and then this “study” conveniently comes out. I call BS, with a capital B!
melachiro on March 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM
lol
Darth Executor on March 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM
I was walking through a mall and happened to check out the latest trends in girl-fashion.
Simply put - we’re dressing our girls like common whores. We’re allowing our children to be subjected to a music/video market that glorifies whorelike behaviour.
So our girls behave like whores. Surprised? Monkey see monkey do.
LimeyGeek on March 11, 2008 at 2:56 PM
Let’s hope we don’t get to the state I’ve seen in Africa. Abstinence programs are working in Uganda for a major segment of the younger population; primarily, because the lesson of the millions around them dead or dying from AIDs is just too hard to ignore. Most of the kids I work with were orphaned from AIDs; abstinence is well thought of among them.
Or do we have to wait until our towns look like this one; with 20% of the population they had before. All due to ‘unsafe sex’ and promiscuity.
michaelo on March 11, 2008 at 2:56 PM
I heard similar stats in my Canadian sex ed class in High school a few years ago. It’s nothing new or surprising.
Darth Executor on March 11, 2008 at 2:56 PM
That makes far too much sense though.
melachiro on March 11, 2008 at 2:57 PM
I think a lot of old-school religious types (not an insult) don’t approve of self-love - I think there’s an interpretation of some guy in the Bible, Onan or something, and that gets killed off for masturbating (I was taught he wouldn’t impregnant his dead brother’s wife, but it’s been years). I agree that it would be very complementary to abstinance education, and it serves another purpose as well - if you don’t know how to please yourself, how are you going to please someone else (not just sexually either).
the goddess anna on March 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM
The government up here (NWT, Canada) tried for a while a couple of years ago (I’m not sure if it stuck) to stop using the term Sexually Transmitted Disease, and substitute Infection, so all those with VD’s would feel better about themselves. After all, having an infection doesn’t sound so bad as having a disease!
Frozen Tex on March 11, 2008 at 2:59 PM
I blame “Porky’s” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”, myself…
“When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.”
Asher on March 11, 2008 at 2:59 PM
We need a return to some good old fashioned cultural shame. The kind of shame that used to be heaped upon men who didn’t provide for their families or raise their kids; the kind that used to be associated with divorce; the kind that used to be aimed at out-of-wedlock pregnancy; at promiscuity and venereal disease. We need a return to the social stigma that used to be attached to immoral behaviors and irresponsibility.
Dork B. on March 11, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Hey, where in Canada, Darth?
Frozen Tex on March 11, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Sample size
Sample size primarily affects the margin of error. If the sample was randomly selected, this sample size would provide a level of precision (margin of error) of about 3% - 4%.
This means that we are confident that the true percentage is between 21% and 28%. While we might want a larger sample size to reduce the margin of error, 21% is still too high.
Still-A-Neocon
stillaneocon on March 11, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Fair enough, however, I have a small problem with several CDC board members owning partial patent rights to vaccines and then turning around and having an influence on policy. Tad bit of a conflict there so it is a bit hard for me to trust them.
melachiro on March 11, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Ugh! If I had any kind of VD, I assure you I would be very much ill at ease.
(Disease does in fact come from dis-ease.)
Tzetzes on March 11, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Actually among most “old-school religious types” the issue of masturbation is highly debated. You’re right about the Onan dude though, he got hit by lightning because he masturbated to lower the chance of impregnating his brother’s wife in spite of God’s command, not because of masturbation itself. I don’t think masturbation is touched upon in either the OT or NT.
Darth Executor on March 11, 2008 at 3:02 PM
I’m guessing these girls are not home schooled.
Kini on March 11, 2008 at 3:02 PM
This survey does not surprise me. Teenage girls and boys learn sex at a very early age. But what they are not taught is abstinence, personal responsibility and self respect. Birth control of any kind is not 100% fool proof. The only foolproof method is keeping your legs closed ladies!
txstar on March 11, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Are you sure? Yes, that’s what onanism means, but I took the incident in the story as coitus interruptus.
Tzetzes on March 11, 2008 at 3:04 PM
And in other news, Woody Allen cried himself to sleep last night.
ErikTheRed on March 11, 2008 at 3:04 PM
Oh Trojan, I get it.
Akzed on March 11, 2008 at 3:04 PM
From the Planned Parenthood website:
HPV and Herpes
Condoms provide some protection against viruses such as human papilloma virus (HPV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV), that infect the general genital area (CDC, 1998). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend condom usage as a way to reduce the risk of both infections (CDC, 1998). Since HPV and herpes viruses ‘shed’ beyond the covered area, however, condoms do not provide as complete protection as they do for other pathogens.
74impala on March 11, 2008 at 3:05 PM
When I was in high school (20 years ago… sigh…) there was only one, maaaybe two girls pregnant in my grad class, and they kept quiet about it; it was only rumours and innuendo. Just a few years later, there were enough pregnant girls that the same school instituted a daycare program for them. And after that got started up, the numbers shot up, and everyone new it was ’cause the girls were being cared for and accomodated. Why not get pregnant? “I love babies! They’re so cute! Now I can have my own and keep going to school! It’s sooo cool!”
Frozen Tex on March 11, 2008 at 3:06 PM
I’m just glad I got the guy’s name right without using google. Yay!
the goddess anna on March 11, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Good luck instilling that virtuous lesson in today’s climate of Bratz, Pussycat Dolls etc ad nauseum.
What’s next in the music world? The Creampie Princesses?
LimeyGeek on March 11, 2008 at 3:07 PM
Onan “spilled his seed on the ground” when he should have deposited it into Tamar in fulfillment of the leverite law (if your brother dies childless you must try to impregnate his wife so his name does not die - a symbol of immortality). It was coitus interrputus, but the offense was not that -per se- but that he got to benefit from intimate contact with Tamar without conferring his seed to her. So, he was a thoughtless, disingenuous lout. Or as we say these days, he was a spitzer.
Akzed on March 11, 2008 at 3:09 PM
Oh, I quite agree; unfortunately, a large percentage of the VD sufferers up here belong to a racial group I shan’t name, and tend to be very uneducated, to the point of being dumb-as-dirt.
Frozen Tex on March 11, 2008 at 3:09 PM
About masturbation, it’s illogical that teaching kids to please themselves will lead to them not having sex. Can any of you really tell me that you had sex as a teen because you didn’t know how to get yourself off any other way?
While no one talks about it, masturbation isn’t exactly something teens ignore while going through puberty.
As to condoms, it’s not just men who don’t like them. I’d personally rather not have sex if there’s a reason for my husband to have to wear a condom.
Esthier on March 11, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Goddess, ever been here?
Now you can use Google without using Google.
Akzed on March 11, 2008 at 3:12 PM
So, they tested 0.000002757% of the population (838 out of ~304 MILLION Americans) and found out that 0.000000689% had an STD.
Did we pay for this? I want my effen money back!
Mazztek on March 11, 2008 at 3:14 PM
The article is titled “Teenage nightmare: 25% of American girls have STDs”.
If the national average of all American male and female teenagers (13 to 18) having sex is 50% then the female half is 25%. Not real hard math.
Are you saying that headline is accurate? Seriously?
I think the “teen sex industry releasing bogus study to gin up funds” theory is probably correct. Whatever the motivation behind it the contention that 1 in 4 American girls have STDs is as nonsensical as college feminists claiming 1 in 4 college girls is the victim of rape. To quote Jack Nicholson, “Go sell crazy somewhere else.”
miles on March 11, 2008 at 3:14 PM
oh. Wait… BBC.
Still!
Mazztek on March 11, 2008 at 3:16 PM
The HPV vaccine is a good idea, IMHO, even for those who plan to save themselves for marriage:
A girl can control whether she saves herself for marriage.
She has only limited control over whether she gets raped.
She has absolutely no control at all over the state of her husband’s sex life before he met her.
Sekhmet on March 11, 2008 at 3:16 PM
I think it’s worthwhile as well, but I wouldn’t mandate it. And I’d make sure that those who got the vaccine understood that it in no way protects them from all STDs and that it even only protects them from
HPV strains.
My worry is that kids will get this and be stupid enough to believe they don’t have to worry about getting an STD.
Esthier on March 11, 2008 at 3:20 PM
What would Don Imus say? Er..never mind. Don’t answer that.
CyberCipher on March 11, 2008 at 3:25 PM
Well Limeygeek - what can I say? It sounds good - keeping your legs closed, but it is not true reality. Teenagers can’t control themselves nor do many have any personal responsibility any more. I did teach my children the difference. No teenager pregnancies, no diseases and are happily married and have beautiful children. I guess I did something right as a parent.
txstar on March 11, 2008 at 3:31 PM
I have several problems with this study. First when they made the atatement:
there is no explaination of how they selected this samaple. This can make a huge difference.
Second the sample size is too small for any degree of confidence in the result. You will notice that there is no margin of error stated. The margin of error has got to be high enough that that the numbers quoted are completly meaningless.
Third, the CDC is not an unbiased researcher in this case. It is very much in their personal interest that there be an epidemic. This means they are justified in instituting huge programs nationwide to stop this epidemic. This means all sorts of new revenue from the government and an expansion of powers.
Releasing a study based on an undersized sample, with no explaination of sampling techniques, or quoting margins of error is completly irresponsible and most likely was intended to scare the citezenry into granting them a much larger budget.
Buford on March 11, 2008 at 3:33 PM
I think we have a problem
If 25% of a nationally representative sample of girls has an STD(whether the random sample had 100, 1000, or 10,000 girls) this is a problem. This is not “ever had an STD”—but had an STD at the time of the survey.
So even if truth is within a margin of error that one thinks is too large, it still means that close to 20% of teen girls have an STD.
It doesn’t take that much to survey 800 girls. The findings here really suggest it is worth studying further and reconfirming with a larger sample size. Still the margin is not bad (3-4% on either side of 25%).
Still-A-Neocon
stillaneocon on March 11, 2008 at 3:33 PM
I strongly prefer that teenagers masturbate rather than have sex, but “emotional stuntedness hell” is quite over the top. Maybe you get out from behind the computer and meet some real people.
thuja on March 11, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Margin of error formula
margin = 2 times the square root of (p x q / n)
where p = the finding (.25), q = 1 - p, and n=sample size
This formula is not influenced by the size of the population from which the sample is drawn… there is such a formula but it only makes the margin of error smaller… what is used here is more conservative.
margin = 2 x sq(.25 x .75 / 838) = .03
margin of error is +/- 3%
So the truth lies between 21 and 28 percent—if the sample was randomly selected.
Still-A-Neocon
(with statistical training)
stillaneocon on March 11, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Wenn Frauen schlucken würde, es gäbe kein Problem!
WayWard Fundamentalist Christian on March 11, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Sweet, thanks for the link.
I got through my early teenage years by getting myself off as opposed to actually having sex - I guess it’s all in how you talk to your kids about it.
More on-topic, even if the numbers are skewed, we have serious issues in this country when it comes to teens, sex, and VD (I like the term VD, btw, better than STD. Don’t know why).
the goddess anna on March 11, 2008 at 3:47 PM
This is just bs. Why do people keep repeating it?
Argue that they won’t if you choose, but “can’t” is completely inaccurate.
Esthier on March 11, 2008 at 3:48 PM
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