As a result of high rates of sexually transmitted diseases among Boston teenagers, the city's health and disease campaigners have launched a new teen sexual health awareness program through youngsters' favorite outlets: Facebook, Youtube, and cable television channels.
The Boston Globe reports on the drastic increase in STD numbers among Boston teens, noting that, "In 2007, 1,383 Boston youths between 15 and 19 years old were diagnosed with chlamydia, a 70 percent increase since 1999. The overall rate of the infection in Boston is more than double the national average." The numbers are startling: chylamydia and gonorrhea are found most among Boston adolescents than other age groups in the city. A Boston study revealed that over half of Boston public high school students are sexually active, while nearly a quarter of that group stated they have had more than six sexual partners. These numbers, combined with an overall casual attitude about sex and sexual health, have led to an increased concern among physicians and parents about the lack of sexual health awareness.
Boston's new $100,000 campaign includes videos in which teenagers discuss STI's and provide sexual health education to other adolescents through television and online videos. By utilizing teenagers as spokespeople and educators for issues about sex, more young people might be open to listening to the information provided. Using social media as an educational platform also encourages teenagers to stop and pay attention, instead of writing off the information as unimportant. When safer-sex is encouraged by peer groups, more young people will think twice about having unprotected sex and the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases. Physicians have expressed worry about teenagers not thinking twice about contracting an STI because they are inexpensive and easy to treat; the practice of unprotected sex can lead to more dangerous sexual diseases, such as HIV.
Teenagers need to be aware of the risks of sexual activity and it's important for an array of sources and educational materials to be made available for them. Videos that provide factual and accurate information about sexually transmitted diseases can be a great educational supplement along with classroom education and talks with trusted adults or guardians about the issue. Hopefully the Boston campaign will prove to be effective and the city will see a drop in the spread of STDs.