Introduction Sexually transmitted diseases in the United States are on the rise after several years of decline. Three STD’s in particular are a concern to health care providers: gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. The CDC reports that the reports for chlamydia are up 27% from four years ago (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). The numbers are even more startling when looking at these three STD’s in St. Louis city. I ask these questions when writing the brief: 1.) Does St. Louis address these rising concerns differently than other metropolitan areas in the nation? And 2.) What have other cities done in the United States to combat the growing number of teenagers and young adults with STDs. Background The St. Louis region was named the STD capital of the world for the 5th consecutive year since 2010 (CDC, 2015). In 2015, there had been a recorded 14,961 cases of chlamydia, the 17th highest per-capita rate in the country (CDC, 2016). Rates of syphilis stayed relatively steady at just over 400 cases in the metro area. The city of St. Louis, however, measured the highest rate of both chlamydia and gonorrhea among counties and independent cities. These numbers are both up from 2014 (CDC 2016). Although rates of Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and syphilis are increasing in many parts of the nation, teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 account for nearly two-thirds of diagnosed cases of chlamydia and half of gonorrhea cases (figure 1). Although everyone sexually active can
The challenges that this population faces are directly related to psychosocial, physiological, economic and behavioral factors. Challenges such as these can cause serious obstacles for the prevention of STDs due to their influence on access to care, willingness to seek treatment, and social behaviors regarding sexuality. Often older adults are looked at as
Over one million cases of Chlamydia were reported to the CDC in 2013. Despite this large number of reports it actually was a decrease by 1.5% since 2012 (CDC, 2014). Epidemiology statistics showed an increase in reported syphilis, including congenital. Other sexually transmitted diseases can pose higher risks for acquiring HIV. According to new studies, HIV is growing faster in populations that are over 50 versus 40 years and younger (BenRose, 2014). Factors may play a role in this such as higher divorce rates, new medications, and safe sex measures. Therefore, it is important for the healthcare provider screen for sexual activity and any change in sexual partners to provide routine testing when necessary and education on preventive
Wysocki, 2015 estimated that half of all people in the United States will have contracted a sexually transmitted disease in their lifetime. Numerous young women under age 25 haven’t been screened and are asymptotic. Infections impact individuals of all economic levels and backgrounds. Three sexually transmitted diseases are required to be reported by physicians to public health officials. These three are syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. African American and Latinos have barriers which increase rates of sexually transmitted diseases (Sutton, 2012).
The reason I chose this topic for research is because of the large number of women in our state who are in potential danger because of this reticence to address sex. According to data provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), “Females between 15-24 years of age comprised 53 percent of all diagnosed chlamydia cases” (TDSHS, 2014). Along with high numbers of chlamydia, “…gonorrhea…like chlamydia, the majority of cases were among youth 15 to 24 years old” (TDSHS, 2014). The significance of this is felt in the effects that untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia can have on the reproductive system. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) “is an infection of a Woman’s Reproductive organs” (CDC PID, 2014). The CDC states that one of the causes of PID is untreated STDs like the aforementioned ones (CDC PID, 2014). The CDC also states that “1 in 8 women with a history of PID experience difficulties getting pregnant” due to the damage PID can cause to the reproductive organs (CDC PID,
"Approximately four million teens get a sexually transmitted disease every year" (Scripps 1). Today’s numbers of sexually active teens differ greatly from that of just a few years ago. Which in return, projects that not only the risk of being infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) has risen, but the actual numbers of those infected rise each year as well. These changes have not gone unnoticed. In fact have produced adaptations as to how society educates its young adults about sex, using special programs, various advertising, and regulating sexual education courses in public schools. One major adaptation is the advancement and availability of
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) borne from the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium, chlamydia is the most frequently notified disease amongst young Australians, as evident in Figure 6.17. Here, the significant distinction between notification rates of the disease when compared to other STIs is also palpable, as is the 10 – fold prevalence increase of chlamydia, from 104 in 1991 to 1,663 in 2012.
Communicable diseases are a major concern ranging from local issues to global issues. Communicable diseases are diseases that are spread from one person to another or from an animal to a person. The transmission often happens via airborne viruses or bacteria, but also through blood or other bodily fluid. They are of major concern due to the health issues that are brought and the complications involved if not treated. This paper explores Miami Dade County communicable diseases that are mostly common. These diseases are hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The incidence rates are given and some are even compared to the nationwide numbers. Age differences may show higher rates or lower rates. It appears that most
STDs place a significant economic strain on the U.S. healthcare system. According to CDC conservatively estimates, the lifetime cost of treating eight of the most common STDs contracted in just one year is $15.6 billion (2013). Each year, more than “$1 billion in direct and indirect costs are expended on Chlamydia infections in the United States. Many of these costs result from the management of women with PID and its complications” (Thompson, n.d.). Further growth in the economic burden of chlamydial infections will occur as these infections become more prevalent. Although chlamydia screening is expanding, many women who are at risk are still not being tested, thus,
The Chicago Department of Public health exemplifies a public health department that is extremely proactive and supportive of initiatives to eradicate or significantly decreasing the incidence of STI/HIV /AIDS in the City of Chicago. To this end, the Chicago Department of Health monitors the incidences of new cases in the city, while constantly monitoring the progression or regression of the conditions of patients already affected by the HIV virus. Statistical data is collected through the avenue set up for health care providers to report all pertinent information about newly diagnosed HIV or an unusual turn of events with old HIV cases. furthermore, the Chicago Department of Public health ( CDPH) through it monitoring programs is able identify threats, determine which health care services is need by a community and the target population. For example in the month of November their target segments were gays and bisexual African American men, because both groups were disproportionately impacted by the HIV outbreak during the previous summer,
Bacterial STD Chlamydia is a STD that is found in many young people. Juvenile that was in detention centers was found with 15.6% of STD. Women from the age 15 to 24 that visit the family planning clinic was found with the disease was 3%. This the most infected
Chlamydia trachonatis infection is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the United states, approximately 1.1 million cases of chlamydia were reported to the Center of Disease prevention and Control, and more than half of the case were females age 15- 25 years old (2009). In 2007, women were almost three times more likely to be infected with chlamydia than men, with females ages 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 reporting the highest rates of infection across age and gender groups (Dembo, Childs, Belenko, Schmeidler, & Wareham, 2009). Chlamydia is a STD that a continuing public health problem among young women. One of the main reason why is because the female anatomy differs from their male counter parts. Chlamydia is more than likely
The World Health Organization defines sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as infections that are mainly passed through person to person sexual contact (World Health Organization [WHO], 2012). Some of the more common infections include syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and genital herpes (World Health Organization [WHO], 2012). Every year about 19 million new STI cases are reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2011). Such high incidence rates cause the U.S health care system 17 billion dollars a year (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2011). Beyond having increased costs STIs also have a huge social impact on society.
The more frequent occurrence of STDs in the younger generations are also based upon the multiple barriers in retrieving the benefits in STD prevention services which includes the lack of health insurance or inability to pay, no transportation, embarrassment of the services in the facilities, and worries of discretion. (STDs) According to the US Department of Health and Human Service, twenty five percent of sexually active adolescents have already obtained an STD. (Parillo) The severity of the issue is approached with the control strategies and educational strategies. In which these educational strategies are more effective when it involves a big health educational program that is provided to our minors. The young populations that are particularly affected by STDs are the young women with a low income for it is easier for a female to receive an STD compared to men. And with those women having a low income, they are not able to access the services that are being provided to them. Today, four in ten sexually active adolescent girls have obtained an STD that can cause infertility and death; also two thirds of adolescent boys have HIV diagnoses.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a growing problem in American society as well as across the world. These STIs are lowering the life expectancy of people all across the world especially in poor or developing countries. The reasoning behind this is people in those countries often can not afford the treatment necessary for the infections they contract. One example is gonorrhea, a bacterial infection that is sexually transmitted, and is a large problem in societies all across the world. It is estimated by the US public health service that there are “2.6 million cases annually of infection” with gonorrhea in the United States (Yorke, 1978, 51). The pandemic of STIs (in this case gonorrhea) is an interesting yet sad reality to me, which
Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or sexually transmitted infections (STI) as they are also known account for 20 million cases annually and may be more of an economic burden than realized (Decker, 2016). These infections often go untreated or reported secondary to individuals being asymptomatic or lacking knowledge of the infections and the need for treatment. The current economic burden for treating these infections is estimated to be 16 million dollars a year with individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 accounting for half of the cases (Decker, 2016). Health care providers must maintain up to date knowledge in regards to treating and assessing for these infections. There are current issues arising in regards to changing guidelines for treatment secondary to antibiotic resistance and the primary method of prevention is being focused on risk assessment and education (Decker, 2016). The most common STD’s include, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomonas, Syphilis, Herpes simplex, Human papilloma virus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).