Over the years STD rate in California is at 25-year-old high. State leads the nation in cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia. It has the highest number of syphilis born babies. This STD Rise has not happened overnight but had gradually developed over the years, due to the reasons discussed below.
The primary reasons for the rise in the number of STD cases in California are as follows
- Cut off funds by Government agencies
- The inability of Private medical services to make a mark.
- People do not want to discuss their sexual health in primary care provider
- Leadership and political vision
- No available strategic plan
What stats say about the status of different STDs in California?
A rise in Chlamydia rate in California
- 9% increase in cases of Chlamydia in a year
- 60% increase in chlamydia rate among female
- 54% of cases were among people under age 25
A rise in Gonorrhea rate in California
- 16% increase in cases of Chlamydia in a year
- Gonorrhea rates among males were two-fold higher than among females
- 75372 gonorrhea cases reported, highest since 1988
- 33% of cases were among people under age 25
A Rise in Syphilis rate in California
- An increase of 21% in rate over 2016-2017
- Syphilis rates were over2 times higher than white rates
Shocking stats of African Americans disproportionately affected by STD in California
- Syphilis rates were over2 times higher than white rates
- The Chlamydia rate among African-American youth was 4 times higher than the rate for white youth
- The Gonorrhea rate among African-American youth was 7 times higher than the rate for white youth
The detailed causes of rising STD numbers in California
1. Cut off investments: Investment in sexual health has decreased up to 40% since recessions of 2008. The state is not doing anything to improve this rather, it is indirectly contributing to the reduction of funds. Cutting off investment hampers the research work, especially when diseases like Gonorrhea is developing into a superbug (Learn what a superbug is and why there won’t be a cure for Gonorrhea if this continues)
2. Private medical services don’t seem to make a mark: Majority of the patient have a notion or privacy issues with the privately owned medical services.
3. People do not want to discuss their sexual health in primary care provider: There is a notion that these providers are not well-trained in screening for or managing sexually transmitted diseases. People are skeptical about discussing things related to sexual health with them.
4.Leadership and vision: California sexual health department doesn’t have a full-time director, so lack of leadership hindering the pro-active approach to fight STD. There are also delays in decision making and due to this the approval process takes time.
5.No available strategic plan: There is no plan available for controlling STIs in the state, making it difficult to envision or measure progress toward goals.
The most effective way to prevent STD from spreading is to get it diagnosed on time and starting its treatment. Private STD testing center nearby covering each and every privacy-related concern can be the best option, considering the slow response of the government to combat STD.
Please refer this page for articles related to STD status in California
References
Stats courtesy : https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/california/california.htm
Pictures courtesy : cdc.gov
