Article “1 in 4 U.S. teen girls infected with STD: CDC calls study’s findings ‘alarming’” by Stephanie Desmon covers the theme of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among the teenage girls in the United States. Adolescent females infected with STDs do not even know they have a disease and pass it to their sex partners. This means that young women are at risk for serious health problems caused by untreated STDs, for example cervical cancer and infertility.
Arguments presented by Desmon are strong and empirically-based. In particular, Desmon includes the sayings of a researcher with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an infectious diseases specialist at John Hopkins Byaview Medical Center. Moreover, the article contains the details and results of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and other studies. Desmon does not make personal comments on the discussed theme, but rather relies on the scientifically proved evidence and the opinions of experts in the field of health.
To show the scope of the problem, Desmon provides the statistical information on the number of sexually transmitted diseases in the country and the costing for the health care system a year. Desmon includes the overview of the problem as well as mentions the efforts that must be made to improve the situation as proposed by the public health professionals and health care officials.
One of the article sections covers the reasons of racial disparities among teenage girls with STD. The presented information is supported with figures and analysis conducted by experts. The final idea raised by Desmon deals with the prevention methods. The offered solutions are backed up with the recommendations made by CDC, not personal opinion of the author. From argumentative standpoint, Desmon succeeded in writing reliable article based on empirical evidence and consistent arguments.
I agree with the main point of the article that STDs present a significant problem because, according to surveys and studies, young women aged 14-19 are vulnerable to STDs and contribute to their spread. In overall, I found the article interesting as well as valuable. Desmon fulfills two objectives: she created an informative article for general audience and discussed an important issue of high value to all sexually-active women.
The fact that arguments of the author are not based on the personal opinion but rather on the sayings of the experts in the health care field contributes to validity of presented information. Desmon does not aim at persuading the reader, however, the reading of the article motivates thinking and action. Undoubtedly, young females will reconsider their sexual life and parents will devote more attention to their teenage daughters because of the information raised by Desmon. I was persuaded by the evidence that the author used because the article is fueled with expert opinions and results of reliable national studies.
While sex remains a taboo topic, teenage girls become sexually active at the age of fifteen. I agree with Desmon that sex-related discussions should occur prior to this age to prepare girls for sexual life. Prevention is always more effective than treatment. Conversations with parents and health care providers may lead to decreased incidents of STDs among young females. Taking into account that symptoms of HPV are hard to notice, many females do not even realize being in danger of cervical and other cancers caused by HPV.
The theme discussed by Desmon is of primary importance to women’s health because young girls are future mothers and endangered health does not contribute to the birth of healthy children.
Works Cited
Desmon, Stephanie. “1 in 4 U.S. teen girls infected with STD: CDC calls study’s findings ‘alarming’”. The Baltimore Sun. 2008. Web.