University of Cincinnati Researcher Finds Racial Disparity in Testing Young Women for STDs

Carolyn K. Holland, an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics and emergency medicine at the University of Cincinnati, has produced research which shows that young white women who come to emergency rooms for treatment of abdominal, urinary, or gynecological pain or discomfort are less likely to be tested to determine if they have a sexually transmitted disease than young black women. Dr. Holland’s research leads to the conclusion that stereotypes may produce a situation where young white women are being under-evaluated and under-treated for sexually transmitted disease.

Dr. Holland holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida. She received her medical training at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.