Why Are there Increased STD cases?

Between 2013 and 2017, the rate of syphilis and gonorrhea more than doubled in Ventura County, raising concerns to the healthcare experts. These increases have been recorded at a time when the California Department of Public Health leaders express fear that STDs are going beyond manageable levels as HIV/AIDS cases surge. Over 305,000 incidences of common STDs like syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia were reported throughout the state last year. This represents a 45% total rise in 2017 as reported by the state public health agency.

2013 Had Lower Rates

The County’s 2013 health data shows that Ventura had only 333 cases of gonorrhea, which escalated to 714 in 2017 and there are no indications that these figures would decline any time soon. There were 31 cases of syphilis, which rose to 94 last year while chlamydia saw a shift from 2,520 cases in 2013 to 2,853 in 2017.

Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura County public health officer, said that the probability of there being a decline is an out-of-question happening.

“These overall increases continue to concern us,” he said, adding that the increasing rate of STDs is their number one focus on public health.

As 2017 was found to have witnessed a near-double in the rates of HIV and AIDS, preliminary reports in the county public health data show that these numbers would stay at the elevated rates throughout 2018.

Increases in All Diseases Linked

Levin said that the manner in which all these diseases are increasing create a pattern that show some form of association. “HIV or AIDS comes about by people’s decision not to wear a barrier protection. When you refuse to put on prophylactics, it’s just a matter of time before chlamydia and gonorrhea go up, as well.”

The health experts explain that new technology, particularly dating apps that pave way for gays to meet, could be the main reason why HIV or AIDS and other STDs are increasing.

“These apps make it possible for people to anonymously get immediate sex, much of which is without protection,” said Levin.

The fact that sex is anonymous increases the possibilities of you sleeping around with a partner who has STDs.

Dr. Heidi Bauer suggested that medical advances may also be another factor to blame for the rising STDs. The fact that we have PrEP being so effective at reducing the transmission of HIV makes people decide that they no longer need condoms.

Bauer is a member of California Department of Public Health.

Levin disputed the ideology that people no longer consider HIV and AIDS to be dangerous, arguing that this issue is more about people’s perception on themselves

.“When it comes to sex, people tend to have a clouded opinion of these diseases and only regret once the act has been done.”

Then again the issue of STDs resisting drugs has made it hard thus the Increased STD cases.

 

Contributor: admin