Introduction

Have you been told about STI’s (Sexually Transmitted Infections)? You  probably have. But, have you ever wondered how real that risk of infection is for you? For your friends? Guess which age group is at second highest risk of STI. You probably guessed it - youth!

Task 

This webquest will use some Canadian statistics and student math skills to calculate your STI risk, and that of your friends. You will use Canadian data, and Canadian studies. You will prepare a summary report and a graph to present your findings. You will take some quizzes. And, if you would like, get to shoot down some nasty STIs in an online game.

You will visit several web sites and do all of the assignments on this webquest. But you can share and discuss your work with other members of a small group.

Process and Steps

(Don't forget to take notes on your activities in this webquest. Use section 3.2 of your Personal Health Journal)

1. Test your own knowledge
   
   Go to this web site and select the quiz on knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). It is the third quiz on that page. Compare your score with others in your group. Were there any questions that everyone in your group got wrong? Which ones?
    

2. Read about it
   
   First, go to these pages on the www.sexualityandu.ca web site and learn or review some of the basic facts about STI. Read about what they are and how you can protect yourself, how people get infected and how condoms can reduce the risk. Also read this fact sheet from the Canadian Health Network.
   
   Prepare a log of the web pages that you have read so far on this webquest and submit that log to your teacher. Use Section 3.1 of your Personal Health Journal to do so.
   
   Now go back and take the STI quiz again. Did your score improve?
    

3. Calculate Rates of STI/STD Infections for Young People in Canada
   
   First, go to this web site and select the quiz on assessing your risk of STI infection. (It is the first quiz on that page.). Compare your answers with the other members of your group. Any surprises? Were there any questions that everyone had trouble with? List these topics on one page. You will reflect on this list as part of the final step in the webquest.
   
   Next, go to the Health Canada web site and print the data tables for STD rates for Chlamydia, Appendix 1.1 and Appendix 1.2. From those tables, determine the two age groups within the Canadian population that is most at risk of infection from STRI. What are they?
   
   Next, prepare two line or bar graphs, with accompanying data tables, for the “rate” (number of people per 100,000) of chlamydia infection for 15-19 year-olds for the years 1991 to 2000 for Canada and for your province. Are those rates going up or down? Why do you think these trends might be caused by?  Review the evaluation criteria for line and bar graphs before you begin this activity.
   
   Next, calculate the number of students who, according to the 2000 Canadian rate of infection (714.4 per100,000 of 15-19 year-olds), would be infected in a high school of 1000 students. Did that number surprise you? Using this ratio, calculate how may students are likely to be infected in your high school.
   
   Want a break? Go play an online game trying to avoid STI. This game was produced by young people from BC.

4. Write a Report
   
   Go to the Health Canada web site and read their newsletter/report on the sexual risk behaviours of Canadians and their summary “What are my Chances?”. Note the findings that relate to young people, as well as those that relate to all Canadians.
   
   Prepare a one-page Summary/Commentary Report on how STI affects young Canadians. Include your line/bar graph in your findings. Discuss whether there is a significant risk of STI to young people in Canada. Include all of your findings from this webquest, including if there were any gaps in your group’s knowledge of STI and STI risk, Canadian data and analysis of STI risk and the other facts you gathered from visiting the assigned web sites. In the conclusion of your report, discuss how it would feel to be among those infected with an STI and how you would deal with it.
   
   

5. Reflect on this Webquest
   
   In the private section 4.3 of your Personal Health Journal, write down a few notes about STI risk and what you intend to do to avoid the risk of infection. You will not be required to submit this, nor to show your thoughts to anyone.

How Your Work will be Evaluated

Your report on the first assigned readings should follow the format of Section 3.1 of your Personal Health Journal.

Your line or bar graph will be evaluated using the Criteria for Line and Bar Graphs. Don’t forget to include your data table.

Your summary report for this webquest will be assessed using the Evaluation Criteria for Summary/Commentary Reports.

Conclusions and Extensions

Want to learn more about virus? Go on a “Thinkquest” on health and viruses that includes games, scenarios and more. Learn all about the basics of viruses, their evolutionary history, their discovery, what vaccines have been developed, and how they may evolve in the future. Find out how viruses infect and how you can prevent infection. Examine profiles of diseases caused by viruses: polio, measles, AIDs, ebola, smallpox, and more. The threat of military and terrorist uses of viruses as biological weapons is also studied at this excellent site.

Want to explore what you know about HIV/AIDS? Then check out this “Thinkquest” that will help you learn how AIDS started, how it is spread, and what you can do to prevent its spread, as well as statistics about the disease. Teen-written essays, an opinion forum, and links to other AIDS-related sites are also included.

Want to talk with someone about these issues? Why not call the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or visit their web site. Also read these tips on how to use Hotline Information.