PEER DISCUSSION I have chosen to do my practicum project on Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STDs) in young adults aged 18 -30. While working in the Emergency Department, I see patients come in for STD symptoms and checkups frequently. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two of the most common types of STDs that these patients get diagnosed with. Both are asymptomatic, can cause infertility in men, and pelvic inflammatory disease in women. Health institutions have to report to the Center for Disease Cont rol (CDC) whenever someone tests positive for any STD. A recent study of this data by the CDC reported that Philadelphia ranked number three out of the top 100 cities in the United States with the highest rates of STDs. Baltimore, Maryland was top on that list, and Jackson, Mississippi was second. While the study was released in 2020, the data was from 2018. Philadelphia reported 21,199 cases of chlamydia, 7,288 cases of gonorrhea, 499 HIV, and 459 syphilis cases with a sum total rate of 1,822 cases per 100 ,000 people for the city. (Jones, 2020). While as a city Philadelphia is near the top of this list, Pennsylvania as a state is doing much better collectively. Based on the same 2018 data from the Center for Disease Control, Pennsylvania was ranked the 38t h state with the most number of reported STD cases. Of the 2.4 million combined STD cases reported across the US, California, Texas, and New York had the most number of cases. Pennsylvania reported 59,340 cases of chlamydia, 15,887 cases of gonorrhea, 7602 4 cases of HIV, and 797 cases of syphilis totaling 594 STD cases for every 100,000 people living in the state (Barclay, 2020). One of the biggest reasons STD rates are on the rise is that people are not aware that they have one. People are not getting STD tested as frequently as they need to. It is hard to prevent the spread if people are not aware that they have an STD, or need to be treated for one, which is leading to increased transmission rates. According to Gary Bell, the executive director of Bebash i-Transition to Hope, a Philadelphia -based sexual health organization, the federal cuts in funding to address STDs is to blame for the increase in cases. Therefore, there are fewer resources to address this growing problem. “Gary says a comprehensive plan is needed to help prevent the spread of STDs in Philadelphia. He suggests that the local school district, health department, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations collaborate to work on the problem” (Jones, 2020). The CDC has listed ways STDs ca n be preventable. For example, practicing abstinence, using condoms, having fewer partners, talking with your partner about staying safe before having sex, and getting tested. There needs to be further education throughout the city and state to make more o f an impact.

pur-new-sol

Related Questions