Children in foster care are more likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases, according to a new study from the University of Washington.

• Girls were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as having casual partners or a high number of them, or accepting money in exchange for sex.
• Boys in foster care did not show an increased likelihood of risky sexual behaviors compared to boys not in foster care.
• Researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health collected on over 14,000 children and young adults.

"If our findings are confirmed," the researchers wrote, "then health care providers for current and former foster youth should consider modifying their screening practices to reflect the increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases of this youth."

Labels: foster care, disease, sex

Posted By: Adoption Issues