Skip to main content   Share |  At the present time, the United
States now rules when it comes to sexually transmitted
infections (STIs). And not in a Whoohoo, go USA! kind of way.
You've probably also heard that the rate of sexually transmitted
infections in people 15-24 years old is exceptionally high.
Figuring out why isn't tricky for those who work in sexual
health. Some people will say this is because teens are having
more sex than ever (not true: you're having less sex than teens
a generation or two before you did), or because people are
having sex outside marriage (a fine fairy tale for those who
don't see lab results for STIs among some married people or who
don't know about the history of STIs). But those of us who work
in direct care know why STI rates are so high and why they're so
disproportionate in young people right now.  It's primarily
because so many young people -- and namely those in the 18-24
group, as younger teens are often better with condom use than
people of any other age group --  a