Health Promotion Recommendations

Adolescent Health

The Hepatitis B Vaccine is recommended for all adolescents (age 12-24) if you were not immunized as an infant. Hepatitis B can be transmitted through bodily fluids, including sexual contact.

The Meningitis vaccine, Tetanus/Pertussis vaccine, and a second Chicken Pox vaccine are now REQUIRED for entrance into the seventh grade in the state of Texas. Also, if your child has not had the meningitis vaccine and he or she is over the age of 13, colleges will require it as well before admission.

Teenagers should be counseled by their parents or physician about smoking, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, drugs, alcohol and drunk driving. This should start at age 13 (or earlier).

You should be screened for sexually transmitted diseases if you are sexually active and have had more than one partner. This is especially true if you are in the age range of 15-30 years old. This includes screening for human papilloma virus (HPV), chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV. These germs can affect your fertility and can cause some cancers.