|
|
News
Sexually
Transmitted Diseases Reach All Time High in Iowa
Posted 27 June 2008
A 22-year-old law student visits an STD clinic in tears. The first
sexual experience of her life, with a boyfriend she thought she knew
and could trust, resulted in cramping and bleeding. She tests positive
for Gonorrhea. Her boyfriend, who had only one partner besides her,
agrees to be tested even though he has no symptoms. He turns out to be
infected not only with Gonorrhea, but herpes as well. In another part
of the state, a businessman calls an STD program and describes symptoms
that sound like syphilis. He tells of a single sexual encounter after a
night of drinking. He struggles as he comes to terms with the disease
he'll have to tell his girlfriend about. He comments he's a
well-educated, highly-paid professional. As these true stories
indicate, STDs don't discriminate.
According to figures from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH),
total cases of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis reached record levels
in 2007. "The figures are alarming," said IDPH Director Tom Newton.
"It's especially concerning that we're seeing the greatest number of
cases reported in teenagers and young adults." The 2007 statistics show:
* 8,643 reported Chlamydia cases - a 67 percent
increase in reported cases over the last 10 years.
* 74 percent of the Chlamydia cases (6,350) were in
Iowans aged 15 to 24.
* 1,928 reported Gonorrhea cases - a 19 percent
increase in reported cases over the last 10 years.
* 60 percent of the Gonorrhea cases were in Iowans
aged 15 to 24.
* 64 reported Syphilis cases - a 52 percent increase
in reported cases over the last 10 years.
* 52 percent of the Syphilis cases were in Iowans
aged 35 to 55.
It's notable that the number of cases of STDs in Iowa would be even
higher if HPV and herpes were reportable diseases in the state.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate up to half of
STDs go undiagnosed. This is common because people may be unaware they
have an STD. The initial signs and symptoms are often invisible, but
the infection is still doing damage internally. Untreated STDs can
cause rashes, sores, abdominal pain, surgery, infertility and even
death. While many STDs are curable, any damage done to the body cannot
be undone. The American Social Health Association estimates that every
dollar spent on STD prevention saves $43 in the costs of STD-related
complications.
"This is an issue that must be talked about openly," said IDPH STD
Program Manager Karen Thompson. "Parents and the community need to be
open to talking about sexual health. Individuals must take the
responsibility of asking for an STD screening when they have an annual
exam or other doctor's appointment. STDs carry stigmas that make people
embarrassed. But not talking about them or testing for them won't make
them go away, and the results can be devastating."
For more information on the 2007 report of sexually transmitted
diseases in Iowa, go to www.idph.state.ia.us/adper/common/pdf/
disease_prevention_immunization/std_stats_2007.pdf.
For more information on the IDPH STD program, visit
www.idph.state.ia.us/adper/std_control.asp.
|
Our Goal is to provide the most
up to date information possible!
Let
us know if anything on this site needs updating,
if your group is having an event,
or if you have a news story.
We publish a network of similar sites, The
24/7 News Network.
If your information is about more than 1 of our sites,
we put it on all those sites.
|
Please Support this
Site by Clicking on Our Sponsor's Ads
 
 
|
