News and Stories: Planned Parenthood of Indiana Works to Keep Young People Healthy During STD Awareness Month

To help reduce the alarming rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people in the U.S., Planned Parenthood of Indiana is joining with MTV, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to encourage young people to GYT — Get Yourself Tested — during National STD Awareness Month in April. 

To help reduce the alarming rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people in the U.S., Planned Parenthood of Indiana is joining with MTV, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to encourage young people to GYT — Get Yourself Tested — during National STD Awareness Month in April. 

As many as one in two sexually active young people will contract an STD by age 25 — and most won’t know it.  The award-winning GYT campaign is focusing this year on getting sexually active Americans under age 25 to embrace STD testing as part of a healthy, productive life. According to the CDC, this age group represents half of the estimated 19 million sexually transmitted infections that occur in the United States each year. When left untreated, STDs can increase the risk of HIV infection, infertility and cancer.

Playing off mobile and web slang in young people’s everyday vernacular, such as “OMG” and “LOL,” GYT is an easy way for young people to talk about sexual health and getting tested for STDs.      

GYT is supported by a broad range of organizations including the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), American College Health Association (ACHA), American Social Health Association (ASHA), and various state and local health departments, colleges and universities, and other community groups and nonprofits.

For more information visit www.GYTNOW.org.