Introduction
Sexually transmitted Infections (STIs) are mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse among human beings. This may occur through oral sex, anal sex or vaginal sex. However, some transmission may occur through syringes, mother-to-child transmissions or even skin contact. There has been confusion regarding STIs and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) because the terms are closely similar. In the past, the two terms were used to refer to the same thing but it is crucial to note that, STIs have a broader meaning (or interpretation) because a person may be infected but not necessarily having a disease. This paper focuses on STIs.
There are many types of STIs but some of them have a higher global incidence. Dosomething (4) explains that, young people form the most common group reporting new cases of infection globally because they constitute a highly-active sexual group. The Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections (6) reiterates that, the highest risk group is young people between the ages of 16-24 because they constitute about 50% of all new STI infections globally. For instance in the UK, this age group accounts for more than 65% of all new Chlamydia infections and more than half of all new gonorrhea infections. The same statistics resonate globally. For instance, it is observed that the incidence of some sexually transmitted infections such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea are more common among young people than older people. (6)
This paper focuses on three STIs: Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis as the most common STIs, globally. Boskey (2) explains that, Chlamydia is deemed to be among the most common STI (worldwide) because hundreds of thousands of new cases are reported every year. This STI is also known to be the most common in the UK and up to 4,000,000 new cases of infection are reported in the US every year. Worldwide, more than 90 million new cases of infection are reported each year. Gonorrhea almost has the same effect on people as Chlamydia, and AVERT (1) reports that, more than 70 million new cases of infection are recorded globally, each year. Syphilis has a notorious history of infection (globally) with more than 15 million new cases of infection reported annually. Nonetheless, these statistics are feared to be only about half of all new cases in the world. Several factors explaining why the STIs are common among young people will be analyzed in this paper, considering the biological, psychosocial, behavioral, cultural, political and economic factors surrounding the same.
Biological
Young people under the age of 25 are known to be more susceptible to STI infection because of their biology. For instance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (11) explains that, women in this age group, are smaller in size and therefore, they are at a higher risk of experiencing tissue tearing during sexual intercourse. This increases their susceptibility to STIs. The same group of young women does not have a fully developed cervix, which also predisposes them to new STI infections (when compared to older women). Also, the asymptomatic nature of the above-mentioned STIs are such that, it is very difficult to realize that a person is suffering from them, and therefore, young people continue to infect one another without knowing that they are doing so. Young people are also highly sexually active than older people and therefore, they are more likely to engage in sex than older people.
Psychosocial
Drug and substance abuse among the youth is also another factor that has contributed to the high incidence of STI infection among young people because it leads to the occurrence of irresponsible sexual behavior among the youth. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (9) explains that, alcohol greatly lowers the inhibitions to having sex, and young people are also victims of indiscriminately having sex (under the influence) because of the same reason. Furthermore, statistics show that, alcohol makes it more difficult to negotiate condom use among the youth and therefore, this reason accounts for the high incidence of Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis among the youth. Mental instability among the youth is also another factor. This has especially been evident in some western countries such as America where disturbed youth engage in risky sexual behaviors. This factor also contributes to the high incidence of STI among the youth.
Behavioral
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (3) show that, STI infection is subject to behavioral patterns among the youth. Over the years, there have been disparities in STI infection among different cultures, socio-economic groups and races. Abstinence is deemed to be the safest way of avoiding STIs but young people have been crafty in avoiding this issue by pursuing other forms of contraception such as pill use. This has tremendously increased their susceptibility to STIs. Already, there has been enough information about STIs among the youth but the use of family planning contraceptives among some youth have made them oblivious to the dangers of unprotected sex. Recent statistics show that, many young people still engage in unprotected sex. Meekers (8) explains that, “among sexually experienced youth, only about four in ten males and two in ten females have ever used condoms. Fewer than 15% of youth used a condom in last intercourse with their regular partner”. These statistics explain the behavioral patterns of the youth that predisposes them to STIs.
Cultural
Certain cultural influences among the youth have significantly increased their chances of contracting STIs. For instance, in some developing countries, polygamy is still widely accepted and having multiple partners, is not frowned upon. Studies show that, people who are raised in such cultures are more likely to contract STIs, as opposed to young people raised in monogamous societies. However, serial monogamy is also standing out to be a great contributor to increased STI infection among the youth because certain cultures condone it. For instance, in the western world, divorce and remarriage are very common and it is almost part of the western culture. The New York Times Company (10) affirms that “The danger for people who practice serial monogamy is that each time they are involved in an exclusive sexual relationship they are likely to be tempted to stop using safer sex precautions”. This observation accounts for the high incidence of STIs among the youth.
Political
Policy issues have always had an impact on the general health of a nation. However, when it comes to STI infection among the youth, there has been an apparent neglect in policy formulation to curb the spread of STIs among the youth. ICASO (7) explains that, policy makers have often ignored this epidemic and instead focused their attention on other health issues. In some developing countries such as Zimbabwe, there is a sheer lack of political will among policy makers to even acknowledge the existence of STIs among the youth. Moreover, there is even a strong sense of unwillingness among policy makers to acknowledge the social challenge posed by some diseases such as AIDS. A lack of policy sensitivity to curb the spread of STIs among the youth is attributed to be the greatest political deterrent to arrest the situation. (7)
Economic
Researchers have consistently shown the link between socio-economic factors and the spread of STIs among the youth. This link has exposed a strong positive correlation between the two. For instance, the European Journal of Public Health (5) explains that, young people from a lower socio-economic status engage in sexual activities, earlier than their counterparts from higher socio-economic statuses. Young people hailing from poor economic backgrounds are also known to sell their bodies for economic favors. This fact is deemed to account for a strong percentage of young people from lower socio-economic status reporting increased STI infection.
Conclusion
This paper explains that, STI infection among the youth is subject to several political, social and economic factors. Though this paper points out that, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and syphilis are the most common STIs among the youth, the factors that cause them are somewhat the same. Here, there is a strong political insensitivity among policy makers to curb this health issue (which has seen the spread of STIs among the youth left unabated). However, risky sexual behaviors among the youth and a “care-free” and casual attitude among today’s youthful population is also a great contributor to the high incidence of STIs among the youth. Comprehensively, these factors account for the high incidence of Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis among the youth.
References
AVERT. Curable STD Epidemics (Internet). 2011. Web.
Boskey, E. STD 101 – Top Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) You Should Know About (Internet). 2011. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS among Youth (Internet). 2011. Web.
DoSomething. 11 Facts About Teens and STIs (Internet). 2011. Web.
European Journal of Public Health. Social class, gender and psychosocial predictors for early sexual debut among 16 year olds in Oslo (Internet). 2011. Web.
Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections. Sexually transmitted Infections and Young People in the United Kingdom (Internet). 2011. Web.
ICASO. Political Factors (Internet). 2011. Web.
Meekers, D. Determinants of condom use among youth in Madagascar (Internet). 2011. Web.
National Center for Biotechnology Information. Moving Upstream: Ecosocial and Psychosocial Correlates of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Young Adults in the United States (Internet). 2011. Web.
The New York Times Company. Top 10 Risk Factors for Acquiring an STD (Internet). 2011. Web.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (Internet). 2011. Web.