There has been a rise in STD’s in recent times, and in particular – herpes. A study in 2012 showed that out of the estimated 417 million people affected worldwide, 19.2 million were due to new infections. This showed that even with a rise in education, diseases like herpes were still spreading. A factor contributing to these rising numbers could be that the number of teens affected by herpes has also risen dramatically.
How Are Teens Affected?
While many believe that sex education in schools has helped, there has been a rise in teens affected by herpes. Research in the United States has shown alarming rates of Simplex 2 Herpes. The research states that 12% of adolescent males have the Simplex 2 virus, while 15% of adolescent females have it also. The surprising news from this study is that most people affected don’t initially know that they have the illness.
Why Are Their Numbers Rising?
It’s been reported that there are roughly 20 million new cases of STD’s every year. Half of those are cases involving people between the ages of 15 and 24. There are a number of things that could be contributing to the number of teens affected by herpes.
While information can easily be found on matters like this, many young people don’t talk openly about sexual activity. Whether this is due to embarrassment or privacy, not opening up on it can lead to issues. The most common would be not understanding the need for regular testing.
Globally, many young people also do not have access to the help that they know they need. This can be due to a lack of available financial support or transportation to doctors or hospitals.
In Conclusion
Although herpes is something that can be controlled with medication, it still has a significant impact on people’s lives. With the number of teens affected by herpes on the rise, education and the availability of help must be pushed to the forefront in our effort to reduce these statistics.
