Foster Children at Risk for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Past studies have documented multiple health problems among foster children. However, one potential problem seldom addressed is that of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The author discusses the risk of foster children having or contracting STDs and presents general information on the incidence, consequences, and symptoms, especially for females, of five of the most common sexually transmitted diseases—syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes, and genital human papillomavirus. Recommendations for intervention by social workers in health care and child-welfare settings are presented.