In 2008, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention held its biennial conference on sexually transmitted diseases and announced that at least one out of every four teenaged girls in the United States has a sexually transmitted disease. It is estimated that nearly 19 million new STDs occur each year, and that by the age of 25, one in two sexually active young people will contract a STD.During the month of April, MTV and Planned Parenthood are teaming up to inform young people about sexually transmitted diseases and infections and encourage routine testing and treatment. The campaign kicks off on April 1 with the world premiere of 'Pedro'. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains will host a film screening of 'Pedro' at the Starz FilmCenter on April 1.
This MTV film celebrates the life of Pedro Zamora, an HIV-positive 'Real World' cast member who died of AIDS-related complications in 1994. A facilitated discussion featuring a panel of community sexual health experts and moderator Dr. Mark Thrun, director of the HIV/STD Control Program for Denver Public Health, will immediately follow the screening.
Also after the screening of 'Pedro', MTV and Planned Parenthood will unveil a major announcement. AS April is STD Awareness month, the topic couldn’t be timelier to bring local attention to a serious public health concern and the action being taken in our community to encourage individual accountability and promote awareness. The latest research of the rate of STDs in Colorado, reported by the Department of Public Health and Environment, shows an overall rate of 281.3 per 100,000 population. Denver’s rate is two and a half times that rate at 648.9, and has the distinction of having the highest STD rates in the state.
