The CDC's biannual STD Prevention Conference is underway and it sounds like this year's sexy government seminar has taken a dire tone: sexually transmitted infections in the US are alarmingly high.
According to the CDC, there were 2.5 million reported cases of gonorrhea, syphilis, and congenital syphilis in one year. There was a 26 percent spike in syphilis cases from 2020 to 2021. The number of people living with HIV is up 16 percent in the same time period.
It's even worse? The CDC still uses the term "sexually transmitted disease," or STD, but most experts now prefer the term "sexually transmitted infections," or STIs, which are often under reported and treated.
That is not good. It's very bad. David Harvey is the executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors.
It's easy to throw out flawed Just Don't Have Sex advice, but that's not the answer here. consensual sex is an important part of life and the human experience, even if you don't want to. Abstinence-only education is atrociously ineffective, unethical, even, and really just leads to more unwanted pregnancies and subsequent abortions, according to a lot of data.
Abstinence-only messaging isn't the answer if it isn't the answer.
We need access to comprehensive sex and sexuality education, to free and affordable contraceptives, and to free and affordable STD testing and care. Research has shown that it is possible to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Access is not given to all Americans. Communities, jobs, and our healthcare system were thrown into disarray by the Pandemic.
A CDC spokesman told Newsweek last week that longstanding and ingrained social and economic factors must be addressed so that everyone can achieve optimal health.
Poverty, stigma, and lack of medical insurance or a provider are some of the social and economic conditions that make it harder for some people to stay healthy.
It's worth noting that the number of men who have sex with men who are diagnosed with STDs is higher than the number of men who don't have sex with men. Race, ethnicity, and poverty are some of the factors that can affect who is most likely to be HIV positive.
"Some racial and ethnic minority groups, gay and bisexual men, and our nation's youth continue to be disproportionately impacted by higher rates of STDs," the CDC spokesman said, "Illustrating a failure to provide access to quality sexual healthcare to everyone who needs it."
The situation is difficult and troubling. At the end of the day, there are some goals that have to do with access to resources. Ensuring that everyone is able to afford sexual safety is important.
According to the Guardian, the CDC's Leandro Mena said in a speech on Monday that he would like to see a day when getting tested for STIs can be as easy as doing a home pregnancy test.
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