Many adolescents are at a higher risk of being infected with sexually transmitted infections (STDs) such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. This is due to cultural, behavioral and biological factors. Many of them have multiple partners who engage in sexual intercourse without using condoms (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2015). Research shows that adolescents aged between 15 and 24 years record highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases. Moreover, more than 25% of all the people infected with HIV in U.S contracted the virus at the teenage and adolescent years (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2015). This high incidence of STDs among the youth can be attributed to various barriers blocking them from accessing quality STDs prevention services. These barriers include the inability to pay for STDs healthcare services, uneasiness with healthcare facilities due to confidentiality concerns and also most STDs prevention services are designed for adults.
According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance report, young people of 15-24 years account for more than half of all new reported STDs. Gonorrhea is one of the most common STD that affects adolescents. According to this report, women are more affected by gonorrhea than men. The surveillance report indicates that the rates of infection in 2013-2014 were 430.5 per 100,000 females aged 15-24 years and 221.1 per 100,000 males (U.S. Department of Health & Human Servicers 2015). In the view of the above statistics on STDs and more importantly with regard to gonorrhea, there is an urgent need of adolescent STDs prevention programs. The strategies should be evaluated for their effectiveness and efficiency in reducing gonorrhea infections among the youth (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2015).
A number of options have been proposed by various public and private organizations as the most effective health promotion strategies in reducing gonorrhea infections for teenagers aged 20-24 years. In developing guidelines with the aim of reducing gonorrhea, a number of standards have to be observed. One of the standards is that the goals and expected outcomes of the gonorrhea reduction program must be clearly stated. The goals of the program should be responsive and reflective of the needs of the target population. When an educational program has clearly stated goals, planning and implementing it becomes easier.
Secondly, the education program should be assessed regularly. Based on its goals, the implementing agency or organization can identify and respond timely to any changes in the needs of the target population that may arise in the course of program implementation. The assessment will also help to determine the effectiveness of the education program in accomplishing its stated objectives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010 STD treatment guidelines, health care facilities are better placed to provide education and guidance to STDs patients. This is because hospitals can obtain sexual records of such patients.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention empathizes on the need for health care providers to focus on primary prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Success in the prevention of gonorrhea and other STDs largely depend on sexual behaviors change; youth should be encouraged to abandon risk sexual behaviors that place them at danger of infection (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2011). This goal of STDs prevention can be achieved through education and counseling. Several agencies propose almost similar standards to be used in STDs prevention. The interventions include abstinence, reduction of a number of sex partners and the use of male and female condoms.
Conclusively, for this particular project the standards, I will embrace are education and advocating for behavior change among sexually active adolescents. I will also employ the use of mass media such as brochures and social media to create awareness among adolescents on the different ways of preventing gonorrhea.
References
U.S. Department of Health & Human Servicers. (2015). STDs in Adolescents and Young Adults - 2014 STD Surveillance. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats14/adol.htm
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2011). CDC - Clinical Prevention Guidance - 2010 STD Treatment Guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/clinical.htm
