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Adelola Ajayi

Professor Joshi

Pre-English

25 July 2017

Inquiry: Why Teenagers Do Not Get Tested

It is evident that most teenagers that are sexually active do not get tested for sexually

transmitted diseases and infections. Many teenagers are in relationships, in which they feel very

confident with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and they do not ask whether they are clean or not.

Teenagers do not ask nor do they verify that the person they are sexually involved with does not

have any STDs or STIs because they believe that they would be clean, because if they weren't,

they would not be sexually involved. Teenage females are more worried about getting pregnant

than contracting an STI or STD. I recall having a conversation with my friend, and we were

discussing her new boyfriend and she told me that they are having sex, so I asked her did you

and him get tested before engaging in these sexual activities, her response was that she trusts him

and that the process would be too much. Teenagers do not want to have the conversation of

getting their partner tested. So, is sexual health a major concern for teenagers? Why aren't they

having this conversation? Is the lack of education on getting tested the reason behind teenagers

not getting tested?

STD and STI testing is done to ensure those who are sexually active are in good health.

Some teenagers do get STD and STI testing and some do not, maybe because it is not something

that is required but a choice. These diseases and infections can be passed through sexual contact,

maybe some teenagers aren't aware of how these diseases and infections can be contracted.
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Teenagers not being able to have conversations about getting tested may have been a fault of

the education of the school system. Schools may have not educated teenagers about what to do

when you engage in sexual risk behavior to their lives. Essentially getting tested for sexual

transmitted diseases are not talked about, having the conversation and educating each other about

sexually transmitted disease needs to be done.

YDPs explain that pregnancy was another key conversation, Thirteen YDPs said that the

issue of pregnancy came up many times where the adolescent girl thought that she was pregnant

or had found out that she was pregnant and was unsure of what to do next (N.Gupta et. al 30).

The fact that this young girl thought she was pregnant and did not know what to do next, proves

that the sexual education system has failed her. Also, I wonder if she took any preventive

techniques to ensure she would not contract an infection or disease, since she did not prevent

herself from pregnancy. The fact that she does not know what to do may prove that adolescents

do not have conversations about consequences of their actions as it relates to STDs, STIs, and

pregnancy. Also, since this adolescent girl asks about pregnancy and not whether she should get

tested, may show that pregnancy is a greater concern.

The YDPs results indicate that education has played a part in sexual health, The YDPs

identified the top three issues that may also demonstrate a gap in sexual health education. The

majority of sexual health education provided in public schools is abstinence only education and

abstinence only programs often minimize education on birth control/contraception, pregnancy

and STIs (Guttmacher Institute, 2006) (N.Gupta et. al 35). The YDPs acknowledge that the

education system has failed adolescents teaching them about abstinence more than

contraceptives and prevention of STDs and STIs. Adolescents not being educated about these

things can result in the lack of communication between partners. If they were never taught about
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contraception, preventing STDs and STIs there wouldn't be a basis for discussion because they

are unaware of the effects of their sexual behavior. The educational system can be the reason for

the lack of conversation between teenagers and their partners.

Zhuraeveleva states that, Early onset of sexual activity among adolescents is

accompanied by the fact that they perceive sexual activity in oversimplified form, a situation in

which as many as 82 percent of young men and 45 percent of young women do not associate sex

with love and marriage and do not have a serious attitude toward the consequences of STDs for

themselves (Zhuraveleva). It is evident that sexually transmitted diseases and infections are not

taken seriously, sex can be perceived by some teenagers as not being important enough to think

about whether their actions can result STDs which can alter their lives. Having sex may not be

viewed as having a major impact on ones health and their overall life.

Another major cause of STDs and STIs among teens are the inability to properly use

contraceptives, Yet misuse of contraception is not the only factor responsible for the great

frequency of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during adolescence, including HIV-AIDS

(Potard et. al 1). If one does not understand how to use a contraceptive it allows for susceptibility

to infections and diseases.

Teenagers are lacking conversational skills about sexually transmitted diseases because

of the education system. They also are focused on other consequences such as contraception. It is

important for everyone to realize how sexual health can affect society and all future generations.
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Works Cited

The health behavior of Adolescents and sexually transmitted diseases

Zhuravleva, I.V. "The Health Behavior of Adolescents and Sexually Transmitted
Diseases." Russian Education & Society, vol. 43, no. 11, Nov. 2001, p. 72. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=6176946&site=ehost-live.

Gupta, Niodita, et al. "Discovering Sexual Health Conversations between Adolescents And
Youth Development Professionals." American Journal of Sexuality Education, vol. 10,
no. 1, Jan-Mar2015, pp. 21-39. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/15546128.2015.1009596.

Ryan, Suzanne, et al. Adolescents' Discussions about Contraception or STDs with Partners
before First Sex. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, vol. 39, no. 3, 2007,
pp. 149157. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/30042960.

Rosenberg, Melanie D. and Jill E. Gurvey. "Concurrent Sex Partners and Risk for Sexually
Transmitted Diseases among Adolescents." Sexually Transmitted Diseases, vol. 26, no. 4,
Apr. 1999, p. 208. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=1895782&site=ehost-live.

Potard, C., et al. "The Influence of Peers on Risky Sexual Behaviour during Adolescence."
European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, vol. 13, no. 3, Sept.
2008, pp. 264-270. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/13625180802273530.