Oh great…isn’t that a headline you just love to see?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the sexually transmitted disease rate in the United States continues to rise in 2019. The report that the CDC released in October of this year shows historically high rates of chlamydia and the worst rates of gonorrhea and syphilis in almost 30 years – since 1991.
One of the most alarming statistics in the report concerns congenital syphilis, which has seen a 40% rise since 2017. The condition is potentially fatal and is passed from mother to fetus through the placenta.
This marks the fifth year in a row that sexually transmitted infections have been at an all-time high.
In a press release, the CDC addressed the situation:
“Data suggest that multiple factors are contributing to the overall increase in STDs, including:
Drug use, poverty, stigma, and unstable housing, which can reduce access to STD prevention and care.
Decreased condom use among vulnerable groups, including young people and gay and bisexual men.
Cuts to STD programs at the state and local level – in recent years, more than half of local programs have experienced budget cuts, resulting in clinic closures, reduced screening, staff loss, and reduced patient follow-up and linkage to care services.”
https://twitter.com/HealthT21793947/status/1181914960579977216
The states with the highest rate of chlamydia infection: Alaska (nearly 800 cases per 100,000 people), Louisiana (742), Mississippi (707), New Mexico (651), and South Carolina (649). The states with the lowest rate of infection are West Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire, Utah, and Maine.
These statistics are pretty frightening, to say the least…
