Adolescents and sexually transmitted diseases

As much as the care of adolescents with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is an issue of proper diagnosis and treatment, it is also an issue of patient education and disease prevention. Diagnoses of STDs in adolescents are as much phychosocial diagnoses as medical diagnoses. This article discusses the developmental aspects of adolescent sexuality that place adolescents at risk for acquiring STDs, the diagnosis and management of cervicitis and genital ulcers, and prevention strategies in which pediatricians can play a significant role.