STDs reach 10-year high in Rhode island for 2016

By Ethan Hartley
Posted 11/23/17

By ETHAN HARTLEY -- The Rhode Island Department of Health has launched an awareness campaign to hopefully curb a trending increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

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STDs reach 10-year high in Rhode island for 2016

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The Rhode Island Department of Health has launched an awareness campaign to hopefully curb a trending increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which their records indicate are at the highest rates in 10 years.

Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis – three of the most common STDs – all increased significantly from 10 years ago. Last year there were 4,936 cases of chlamydia, compared to 3,177 in 2007. There were 716 cases of gonorrhea, compared to 402 in 2007. There were 153 cases of syphilis, compared to just 46 in 2007.

Nationally, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that STD cases for 2016 were the most ever recorded in their history. A total of 2 million STDs were reported, while they estimate that 10 times that many (20 million) actually occurred. Syphilis in women and newborns jumped by 36 and 28 percent, respectively.

“We consider this a major health issue in Rhode Island right now,” said Joseph Wendelken, public information officer for the Rhode Island Department of Health. “We do consider it a cause for concern. These are serious health issues.”

Wendelken attributed the possible causes for the sharp increase in STDs to a few different possibilities, including an increased number of people engaging in “risky” sexual behavior – such as having unprotected sex or having sex with multiple partners – decreased condom use and the emergence of social media apps like Tinder and Grindr which make it easier for people to meet for discreet sexual encounters than ever before.

“Another possibility is medical professionals are doing a better job of testing for STDs than in the past,” Wendelken added, saying that the number of people without insurance has dropped from 12 percent to just 4 percent in the state since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. As a result, more people may be getting tested than ever before, which would correlate to an increase in diseases being diagnosed.

The importance for the awareness campaign, Wendelken said, is because these diseases – even though most are curable – can cause larger health complications down the road. Chlamydia, for example, can cause infertility and ectopic pregnancies in women if left untreated.

Additionally, all three of the common diseases can lower the body’s natural resistance to much more dangerous diseases, specifically HIV. Wendelken said that, while the campaign is targeted specifically towards the three diseases mentioned, reducing the risk for contracting HIV is also important. He encouraged everybody, regardless of their level of sexual activity, to get tested for HIV at least once in their life.

The Rhode Island Department of Health has a wealth of information available on their website, which you can access by going to health.ri.gov/std. You can also call an information line at 222-5960 to receive tips on how to diagnose an STD, where to get tested and what to do to reduce your risk of getting or spreading a disease.

The Department of Health campaign urges all sexually active individuals to exercise safe sex practices, and that condoms are readily available for free at most health care facilities. It should be noted that the birth control pill does not protect against STDs. The campaign warns against engaging in sexual behavior after consuming alcohol or drugs, as people are more likely to make risky decisions when under the influence.

It is recommended that people who are sexually active get tested at least once a year, even if they show no signs of symptoms. You can get confidentially and discreetly tested at any of the following health facilities:

l Miriam Hospital HIV and STD Clinic (1125 North Main Street, Providence), Wednesday-Friday between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Walk-ins welcome

l Blackstone Valley Community Health Center in Central Falls and Pawtucket, call 401-722-0081

l Providence Community Health Center’s Prairie Avenue and Olneyville facilities, call 401-444-0400

l Thundermist Health Centers Quick Care in Wakefield, West Warwick and Woonsocket, call 401-767-4100 or visit www.thundermisthealth.org.

l Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island, 175 Broad St., Providence provides STD testing. Call 401-421-9620 or visit www.plannedparenthood.org.

l CVS Pharmacies also provide Minute Clinics for testing. Visit www.cvs.com/minuteclinic for more information.

l For rapid HIV testing, visit AIDS Care Ocean State at 557 Broad Street, Providence, Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. Call 401-781-0665 to make an appointment or get more information.

l Walk-in appointments for HIV testing welcome at AIDS Project Rhode Island, 9 Pleasant St., Providence, Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. and Thursdays 5-6:30 p.m. Call 401-831-5522 ext. 3824 if you wish to make an appointment.

l You may also order a self HIV test kit from www.doitright.org

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