Although the concept of “safe sex” has been around for more than a generation, sexually transmitted infections remain as common as ever, especially among young people.

“Individuals 25 years and younger are at a much higher risk than other age groups — that’s the most prevalent population we find sexually transmitted diseases in,” said Michelle Mathews, communicable disease coordinator for the Coles County Health Department.

Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the number of new STI cases each year climbed from about 15 million to 19 million over the last decade. (The acronym “STI” has replaced the less-descriptive term “STD.”)

Of these patients, about 50 percent were ages 15 to 24, said the CDC.

In Coles County, the rate of chlamydia cases is declining, while gonorrhea instances are on the rise, according to Mathews.

But it’s difficult to pinpoint one specific cause, and even harder to identify a solution, say health officials.

They agree that the American culture’s attitude toward sex has changed, as has its portrayal in the media — which may have contributed to the spread of STIs.

“Sex is more open in our society,” said Eric Davidson, associate director of Eastern Illinois University’s Health Service.

“The stuff that’s allowed now on TV probably wouldn’t have been allowed 10 or 20 years ago. That socializes our young people to say, ‘This is normal, this is what everybody else is doing.’

“And the more partners you have, the more often you have sex, the greater risk you’re going to have.”

A poll released last month by Zogby International and MSNBC.com indicated 25 percent of men and 13 percent of women claimed to have had sex with more than 25 partners during their lifetimes. Thirty-four percent of men and 38 percent of women said they’ve had one to five partners.

But because of what young people see in the media, “They think it’s normal to have 20 partners,” said Nicole Wochner, a nurse practitioner at Women’s Healthcare in Mattoon.

“They think it’s normal to meet someone in a bar and go home and sleep with them. Casual sex is just through the roof.”

Some health officials believe many young people know the potential consequences of unprotected intercourse, but they are unaware of the dangers of other sexual activities.

“Without adequate understanding, youth are choosing risky behaviors — other kinds of sexual contact without the use of protection,” said Gaye Harrison, director of the regional prevention program titled I Sing the Body Electric.

She believes most parents define “abstinence” differently than their teenage children, but many parents do not discuss sexuality in enough detail with their children.

Likewise, she said so-called “abstinence-only” classes in schools often ignore the dangers associated with practices such as oral sex.

“They (youths) are still confused about what safe sex is because they’re not getting correct information from parents or from abstinence-only curriculum in schools,” said Harrison.

“A lot of them are very confused about what abstinence is, and this confusion is causing, I believe, risk for infection.”

Body Electric’s most recent survey of high school students in seven area counties showed an increase in sexual activity over the last six years among teenagers.

In 1998, 29.7 percent of girls and 32.5 percent of boys were sexually active, but 34.7 percent of girls and 39.9 percent of boys were having sexual relations in 2004, according to the survey.

Davidson believes “abstinence-plus” curriculum — which encourages abstinence but still deals with issues such as contraception and abortion — is in political disfavor and is therefore receiving less government funding.

While abstinence-only programs have not undergone enough scientific scrutiny to determine their validity, Davidson said studies show abstinence-plus curriculum can reduce the spread of STIs.

“You’re taking money away from the programs that have been shown to work, and giving it to programs that may work,” he said. “Based on the research that’s there, the abstinence-plus programs seem to be far more effective.”

Research suggests that “talking about condom use and talking about abortion does not increase those behaviors,” Davidson said.

Regardless, sexual education may be prompting more people to be tested for STIs, which could skew the statistics somewhat, said health officials.

“It may be we’ve had the same number of STIs as always, but people are getting tested,” said Davidson.

Locally, Wochner also confirmed that “people are getting screened more.”

But this testing does no good unless the results are shared with one’s partner, according to Wochner, who agreed with reports indicating Americans of all ages are reluctant to inquire about their lover’s past.

She said knowledge of sexual history is very important because the use of condoms does not guarantee protection from STIs.

“You can be exposed to them despite all your efforts not to,” said Wochner, noting she has treated multiple STI victims who knew next to nothing about their lovers.

Of those who participated in the Zogby/MSNBC survey, only 39 percent always ask a new partner about their STI status. Almost one-third said they never talk with their partners about their pasts.

“You’re not going to know their sexual history if you don’t even know their last names,” said Wochner.