LOS ANGELES, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Pregnancy, not high-risk behavior, is the reason for sexually transmitted disease testing among newly homeless youth, finds a Los Angeles study.
University of California at Los Angeles researchers have found that youths were tested for STDs only when someone became pregnant or got someone pregnant.
Contracting an STD can predispose one to becoming infected with HIV, said Dr. Rosa Solorio, assistant professor of family medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine. Some STDs do not present symptoms and youths may not be aware of the need for testing, despite the high rates of STDs among them, Solorio said.
"We have to screen these youths to prevent a more negative outcome like HIV," Solorio said. "They need timely STD detection and treatment, and what the study shows is that the kids who are at highest risk are not getting tested."
The findings are scheduled to be published in the May issue of AIDS and Behavior and is available online.
