Campus STD rates climb

In what seems to be a national trend, sexually transmitted diseases among black females are on the rise this year at Florida A&M University.

” The rates within young women on campus have increased over the years,” said Tanya Tatum, the director of Student Health Services on campus.

Statistics have shown young African-American women were the most “severely affected” compared to the much smaller percentage of young white women.

According to a Center for Disease Control press release for the 2008 National STD Prevention Conference, “26 percent of young women, between the ages of 14-19 within the United States are infected with at least one of the most common types of STDs.”

“There is a significant health risk to millions of young women this year. Prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities,” said Kevin Fenton, M.D., the director of CDC’s National Center.

The two most common types of STDs are HPV (human papillomavirus) and Chlamydia, according to the CDC Release.

The CDC recommends annual STD screening for sexually active women under the age of 25, and vaccination shots against HPV for females between the ages of 11-26 years old.

Some women may experience infertility and cervical cancer.

In what seems to be a national trend, sexually transmitted diseases among black females are on the rise this year at Florida A&M University.

” The rates within young women on campus have increased over the years,” said Tanya Tatum, the director of Student Health Services on campus.

Statistics have shown young African-American women were the most “severely affected” compared to the much smaller percentage of young white women.

According to a Center for Disease Control press release for the 2008 National STD Prevention Conference, “26 percent of young women, between the ages of 14-19 within the United States are infected with at least one of the most common types of STDs.”

“There is a significant health risk to millions of young women this year. Prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities,” said Kevin Fenton, M.D., the director of CDC’s National Center.

The two most common types of STDs are HPV (human papillomavirus) and Chlamydia, according to the CDC Release.

The CDC recommends annual STD screening for sexually active women under the age of 25, and vaccination shots against HPV for females between the ages of 11-26 years old.

Some women may experience infertility and cervical cancer.