Professional Documents
Culture Documents
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30% 12th
11th
20% 10th
9th
10%
0%
Sexual Intercourse Among
High School Students
After declining in the 1990s, rates leveled off.
60
50
High school
40 females
30 High school
males
20
High school
students
10
0
1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
Teen Sexuality
A large study of 9th to 12th graders in
Vermont found that
– 1% of students described themselves as gay
or lesbian.
– 3% described themselves as bisexual.
– 3% were not sure.
– 2% reported having had same-sex
intercourse.
Teen Sexuality
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Have Had Currently Intercourse 4 or More Have Been
Intercourse Sexually Before Age Partners Forced to
Active 13 Have Sex
Teen Sexual Activity
150
100
50
0
14 15 16 17 18 19
Age
Teen birth rates rise
for the first time since 1991.
9
9
4
-2
-1
-1
-2
-3
20
10
15
25
30
Chlamydia by Age
3,500
3,000
Rate (per Men
100,000
2,500
Women
Population) 2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
4
9
-1
-1
-2
-2
10
15
20
25
HPV: The Facts
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections account
for about half of STIs among 15- to 24-year-olds
each year.
• HPV is extremely common, often asymptomatic,
and generally harmless. However, certain types,
if left undetected and untreated, can lead to
cervical cancer, penile cancer, cancer of the
anus, and other cancers.
PRCH Physicians Lobby on
Capitol Hill
HPV: The Facts
• In June 2006, the FDA approved the vaccine
Gardasil as safe and effective for use among
girls and women aged 9-26. The vaccine
prevents infection with the types of HPV most
likely to lead to cervical cancer.
• Men can also be affected by HPV; Gardasil is
being considered for boys as well as girls,
primarily to prevent transmission.
“Physicians have an obligation to provide the
best evidence-based care to our patients. As
individuals, we may have differing opinions
about the morality of sexual behavior, but those
opinions should not play a role in how we
practice medicine.”
—Dr. Suzanne T. Poppema,
PRCH board chair