| Teenage girls today are more independent
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| | have weaker self images, while some 20
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| and see greater opportunities available
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| | percent said they have stronger self
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| to them than their baby boomer parents
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| | images. More than two-thirds of the
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| did at their age, according to a survey
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| | respondents believe teenage girls today
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| of health educators by The Vagisil
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| | to be more independent than their
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| Women's Health Center(SM). Yet, these
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| | mothers' generation.
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| same girls also have less self-confidence
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| | Biggest Health Concerns and Biggest
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| and weaker self-images than their
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| | Misconceptions
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| parents' generation, the survey, which
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| | Diet and health (specifically weight loss
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| was conducted at the annual convention of
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| | or gain) was the most often cited
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| the American Association for Health
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| | "biggest health concern" of teen girls
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| Education (AAHE), indicated.
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| | today, followed by sexual issues, skin
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| The survey was conducted to learn what
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| | problems and drug and alcohol use
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| educators feel are the major health
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| | (smoking included). Eating disorders and
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| issues for teenage girls. "This survey
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| | feminine health (infections, menstrual
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| indicates that girls are still struggling
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| | cramps, odor, etc.) were tied for fifth
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| with many of the same issues of previous
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| | place, followed by sexually transmitted
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| generations," says Iris Prager, a Board
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| | diseases, mental health (depression and
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| member of AAHE who helped conduct the
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| | suicide), disease and environmental
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| survey. "In spite of the many gains women
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| | issues.
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| have made, we seem to go through the same
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| | Among the biggest misconceptions teenage
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| rites of passage that our mothers and
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| | girls have, say these health educators,
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| grandmothers did."
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| | are pregnancy and the "it won't happen to
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| While it might appear that teenage girls'
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| | me" belief. Misconceptions about
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| increased independence and positive view
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| | menstruation, weight control, sex and
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| of potential opportunities would signal
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| | sexually transmitted diseases were also
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| greater, rather than lower self-esteem,
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| | cited.
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| "It could simply be that more mothers
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| | Knowledge About Health Concerns
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| have jobs and careers outside of the
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| | The majority of respondents (58%)
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| home, making their daughters more
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| | indicated that teenage girls are
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| independent out of necessity," says
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| | "somewhat knowledgeable" about personal
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| Prager. She adds that teenage girls today
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| | health concerns; an equal number --
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| are largely unaware of the struggles that
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| | roughly 15% -- felt that they were "very
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| women have gone through to gain job and
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| | knowledgeable" or "not very
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| other opportunities, taking those
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| | knowledgeable."
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| opportunities for granted.
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| | With regard to the causes of feminine
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| What Factors Affect Self-esteem?
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| | itching and infection, teenage girls, the
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| According to the survey, physical
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| | majority of respondents (40%) say, are
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| appearance ranks the highest as
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| | "not very knowledgeable"; 34% say they
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| "extremely" or "very" important to
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| | are "somewhat knowledgeable." An almost
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| teenage girls self-esteem, followed by
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| | equal number of respondents -- 39% and
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| popularity among boys, popularity among
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| | 36% -- believe teens are "somewhat" or
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| girls, puberty, sexual activity and
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| | "not very" knowledgeable, respectively,
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| family. Sports participation,
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| | about the prevention and treatment of
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| extra-curricular activities, intelligence
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| | feminine itching and infections.
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| and grades were considered by respondents
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| | Some 42% of respondents report that
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| as "somewhat important" by nearly half
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| | feminine itching and infections are not
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| the group.
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| | part of their school's personal health
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| About a third of the respondents
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| | curriculum. When asked if their
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| indicated that teenage girls today have
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| | curriculums are "restrained" by state and
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| more self-confidence (than their parents'
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| | local mandates, a majority (51%) say they
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| generation), while roughly half feel they
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| | are.
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| have less. More than half also feel they
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