The place is The morton East Cook county Clinic where they test students on anything including diseases or illnesses.

Sexually transmitted infections are causing a spike in the Medical Illness Charts for teenagers 18 and younger, including teens at Morton East.

Types of Sexaul transmitted diseases include:HIV/AIDS , Gonorrhea ,Chlamydia ,. Syphilis ,Herpes: HSV-1, and HSV-2,HPV,Hepatitis A and B , and finally Trichomonas Vaginalis .

Condoms are one of the many methods used to prevent the spread of STDs. Practicing safe sex also includes frequent testing and open communication with partners. Public health campaigns promote awareness of STDs, testing, and prevention. Regular screenings are necessary, especially for those who are frequently sexually active. Regarding the emotional impact, STDs can make one’s life miserable if they did not take adequate precautions, leading to emotional and psychological problems affecting their relationships. The healthiest approach is to maintain open and supportive communication for healing. Many sexually transmitted diseases are being diagnosed early, although some, like HIV, do not have a cure but can be treated with antiretrovirals.

“Use a condom and ask them to get tested for anything. If they get offended, don’t hang around them,” said Morton East senior student Alan Olmos Diaz.

However, there are some people who think differently about STDs. Here are some negative details. “Latinx individuals face greater health care challenges compared to other demographic groups due to social inequities, economic barriers, cultural attitudes, and various other factors. Decades of clinical and health services research have highlighted the urgency of addressing key issues, including childhood obesity in children and up, type-2 diabetes in anyone, and rising HIV/STI infections. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that Latinx individuals in the U.S have much higher infection rates than whites for gonorrhea, chlamydia (about 1.6 times higher than the average white person), and syphilis (2.2 times higher). This is particularly true for men who have intercourse with the same gender, men, and transgender females.

“STI is the most current term to refer to a sexually transmitted infection. This description is less stigmatizing than ‘disease’ and can reduce barriers to honest communication with partners and getting tested. Whether you call it an STD or STI, it’s important to understand how the infection can be contracted and how to prevent it,” said Morton East’s Nurse Hawthorne.

Students, especially, need to understand how STIs are spread.

“A sexually transmitted infection is most often transmitted through sexual contact. It may pass through person-to-person contact in blood, semen, vaginal and other bodily fluids. STIs can also be transmitted through childbirth or the sharing of needles. It’s important to know that STIs don’t always cause symptoms. Even if a person seems healthy, STIs can still be passed to another person,” Nurse Gapen said.

So, what can a student do to avoid getting an STI?

“To prevent STIs, you can practice abstinence, reduce the number of sexual partners, opt for mutual monogamy, use condoms, stay up to date on vaccinations, and get regularly tested. The best way to know if you have contracted an STI is to make an appointment with a healthcare professional,” Nurse Hernandez said.

Even though some people believe that using protection may decrease the rates of STDs, others have their own ideas and views about intercourse and STDs.

“Abstain from sex until you really know and trust your partner and get tested before engaging in sexual activity. Back in the day, the only answer to this question was, ‘Don’t engage in sex until marriage,'” journalism teacher Mr. Kent Frankfother said.