The rate of STD are up and in double digits this year in Tennessee with Nashville/Davidson County accounted for 20.5% of new HIV diagnoses last year. It not just Tennessee the CDC (Center of Disease Control terms STD as a “Growing threat” across the country. As the danger posed by Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis is highest than ever, concludes the doctors of CDC after diagnosing more than 2 million Americans.
Let’s take a look at the rise and fall of cases across the Mid-South.
As per Tennessee Department of health, the rate the STD increased in double-digit, includes.
- Chlamydia 10%
- Gonorrhea 17%
- Syphillis 24%
This is especially worrying considering the rates are almost double the national average and for some of the states in Tennessee some of the rates are as much as three times than the state rate overall.
Nashville HIV rates
The majority of individuals newly diagnosed with HIV and PLWH are concentrated in a few geographic regions of the state: in 2017. Nashville/Davidson County accounted for
- 20.5% of new diagnoses of HIV/AIDS
- 23.4% of PLWH (People living with HIV/AIDS)
The above numbers are alarming with Tennessee Department of Health’s Central Office, located in Nashville, partners with all of the state’s counties.
Newly diagnosed rate of HIV in Nashville/Davidson County
The highest rates were concentrated in metropolitan areas, including Memphis/Shelby County (25.7 per 100,000 persons) and Nashville/Davidson County (21.1 per 100,000 persons). These are more than double considering the overall state rate of new HIV diagnoses was 10.6 per 100,000 persons.
PLWH (People Living with HIV) diagnosed rate of HIV in Nashville/Davidson County
The overall state rate of PLWH was 260.9 per 100,000 persons. In 2017, highest rates of PLWH were seen in metropolitan areas, such as Memphis/Shelby County (690.2 per 100,000 persons) and Nashville/Davidson County (930.6 per 100,000 persons)
Nashville STD rates
As it is evident from the data from Nashville and Davidson County the cases for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea is highest among the people belonging to the age group from 15 years to 24 years.
After Memphis, Nashville is the second most affected county for STD in the Mid-South
If you compare the data of Nashville/Davidson County for the year 2016 vs 2017, you will notice the following.
- The overall STD rate in Nashville/Davidson County has risen by 15%
- Rate of Chlamydia has gone up by 10%
- Rate of Gonorrhea has climbed up by 17% compared to the last year
- While the rate of Syphilis stood to 23%
All the above when 6 of the most populous counties operate as stand-alone metropolitan public health regions, including Nashville/Davidson (NDR) and Memphis/Shelby (MSR). The health care center has appealed to get tested for STD on any signs or symptoms
Causes of rising in STD in Nashville
In a lot of people diagnosed with STD, it has been found that they have multiple sexual partners, lack of protection, lack of awareness on spreading of STD.
The solution to rising in STD rate in Nashville
- Founded the Nashville Regional HIV planning council as a community engagement program to create awareness and save further spread of HIV and STD
- More awareness is required on the preventive measures of the STD
- More healthcare partners required to combat STDs
- More diagnosis Center required.
References
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/program-areas/hiv/STD_Epi_Profile_2017.pdf
https://demystifyingmedicine.od.nih.gov/dm18/m01d23/reading01.pdf)
