25% of girls have an STD. In the past they have had similar data, but in this survey they grouped the four main STDs together, so the total percentage became higher. The doctor calls for better sex education because he thinks the study shows that teens are not using condoms.
This story specifically addresses the issue of girls vs. boys. The study did not survey boys, though in the past they have.This doctor says that more girls have stds than boys because
girls have sex with older guys, and boys have sex with girls their age. He says this affects transmission. (I don't know if I really agree with this...)
NPR interviewed some teen about the findings and they did not seem surprised. All of them said that they have friends (who are girls) that make poor decisions sexually. But why is it they don't point to the boys who make bad decisions? Is there a double standard in health politics? Also, one student made an interesting point: girls are taught more about the dangers of getting pregnant than STDs.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88140117
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