relatively low, despite national guidelines,” says study co-author Sanjana Pampati of the CDC’s division of adolescent and school health.
The study data, from the nationwide Youth Risk Behavior Survey, were collected in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and Pampati says it’s likely that the pandemic further disrupted access to and use of STI testing services.
Among the 20% who reported being tested, 26% were girls and 14% were boys.
An estimated 30% of teens are sexually active, according to the CDC. The most common STIs are human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis.
“More sexually active girls reported testing, especially at older ages, and boys who reported greater sexual risk behaviors, like higher number of sex partners and using drugs or alcohol before sex, also reported having been tested for an STI in the previous year,” Pampati shares.
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The importance of STI screening
Her team estimated that 15- to 24-year-olds account for half of all new STIs annually in the United States, and one in four sexually active teen girls has an STI. But, Pampati says, many doctors don’t ask patients about their sexual activity or reinforce the importance of annual STI screening.
“Addressing this public health issue will require concerted efforts from multiple levels to improve access to STI testing among adolescents,” she said.
Pampati suggests that doctors, clinics and parents all have a role to play in ensuring that more teens receive annual STI screening. For example, doctors working with teens can do routine STI screening that aligns with national testing guidelines, including taking a sexual history of their patients.
“Clinics and parents can ensure adolescents get private time with their doctor during preventive care visits,” she adds.
And educating young people about the need for STI testing, where services can be obtained and their right to self-consent for confidential services may also help connect them to testing services, Pampati notes.
“Schools can teach adolescents about the importance of STI testing and connect young people to