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IKnowUShould2: A Campaign to Raise Awareness about Sexually Transmitted Infections among Youth in Philadelphia

Statement of Problem

Rates of new sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV, are rising among adolescents and young adults across the United States. Youth in Philadelphia, a city with high rates of poverty and a fragmented public health system, are five times more likely than youth nationwide to be diagnosed with STIs. Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation that adolescents be routinely screened for STIs, recent studies show that few adolescents are receiving the STI and HIV testing and treatment they need.

Description

A campaign to raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections among youth in Philadelphia

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Youth (ages 13-24) represent 25% of newly diagnosed HIV cases in Philadelphia, nearly all of which are sexually transmitted.

Next Steps

By determining the impact and effectiveness of the campaign in reaching and engaging the target audience and increasing STI screenings, the team will adapt the program over time to reach larger numbers of youth with the goal of disseminating the campaign as a national model.

This project page was last updated in July 2019.

Suggested Citation

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PolicyLab. IKnowUShould2: A Campaign to Raise Awareness about Sexually Transmitted Infections among Youth in Philadelphia [Online]. Available at: http://www.policylab.chop.edu [Accessed: plug in date accessed here].