Vast racial disparities persist among reportable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to data released today the by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Social Health Association (ASHA) calls for increased resources to combat the epidemic in vulnerable communities.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, an annual report published by CDC, indicates that in 2007 there were approximately 1.1 million cases of chlamydia reported to the agency, up from 1 millions cases reported in 2006. Cases of primary and secondary syphilis increased for the same period by just over 15% to 11,466 (a majority of new cases occurred in men who have sex with men). Gonorrhea rates remained more or less stable at just over 350,000 cases.
The most striking aspect of the report, however, is how STDs overwhelmingly impact communities of color. African-Americans represent 70% of gonorrhea infections, and nearly half of all cases of chlamydia and syphilis, respectively. Hispanics and Native Americans are disproportionately impacted, too.
The startling inequities regarding STD incidence in communities of color are fueled by factors that include poverty, lack of access to health care, distrust of health systems, inadequate access to health care, and numerous other social factors.
Bradley Stoner, MD PhD, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis and the Chair of ASHA’s Board of Directors, says these statistics are an important reminder that sexually transmitted diseases remain a critical public health threat in the US. “The data on STD rate disparities show that minority populations continue to bear a disproportionate share of the STD burden. It is time to focus more aggressively on STD prevention and control efforts, and turn our attention towards destigmatizing STD testing and treatment,” he says.
Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are often asymptomatic and, if untreated in women, can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. In spite of published guidelines, the availability of reliable tests, and effective treatments, screening rates with both chlamydia and gonorrhea remain low.
ASHA President and CEO Lynn Barclay believes lack of awareness is a significant barriers in STD screening programs. “Healthcare providers and patients both often aren’t familiar with the complications related to undetected gonorrhea and chlamydia, or may mistakenly think STDs happen to ‘other’ people. The stark reality is that 19 million new cases of STDs occur in the U.S. each year,” she says. Barclay adds that while STDs are common across all demographic and age groups, young people are hit especially hard. “About half of all new STD cases occur in youth age 25 and younger,” she says, “and it’s imperative we get across at least two messages to them: practice safer sex with every partner, and talk with your healthcare provider about testing for STDs.” She notes that CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under age 25.
The report, Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2007 is available at http://www.cdc.gov/
Read more about STD prevention, testing, and treatment on ASHA’s website at www.ASHAstd.org.
The American Social Health Association (ASHA) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1914 to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities, with a focus on educating about and preventing sexually transmitted infections. ASHA’s educational web sites include: www.ASHAstd.org, www.iwannaknow.org (teen site), and www.quierosaber.org (Spanish language teen site).
