The Centers for Disease Control reported that 1 in 4 teenage girls between ages 14 and 19 has a sexually transmitted disease. Black teenage girls represented almost half of these cases. The most common STD is the Human Papilloma Virus, which can cause cervical cancer.
There are people working locally to bring the numbers down, but Tammy DuBrey, RN with the Pitt County Health Department says HPV cases are so common, and have so many strands that it's difficult to track the exact number.
As a preventative measure they suggest the Gardicel vaccine, which prevents some forms of this virus. Only females ages 9 to 26 are eligible for the vaccine, but DuBrey says, "The biggest message to get out there is to do prevention...to abstain from early sexual activity, to know your partner very well, and to have the Gardicel vaccine on board before becoming sexually active."
Another local group backs up that message with a different approach. Jermaine Johnson is the Teen Minister at Koinonia Christian Center Church in Greenville. Johnson says,” We went through some anatomy things and charts like we do in school for parents to talk to their children about sex.”
Their method teaches teens about the importance of abstinence from a biblical perspective. They use testimonials as tools to open a dialogue with parents about teens about sex.
Both groups say that abstinence and communication between parents and children could help lower these numbers.
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