Rising STD Rates in Winona Reflect Greater Awareness, Testing
Rising STD Rates in Winona County Reflect Greater Awareness, Testing
May 06, 2014 6:34 am • By Hannah Jones – WinonaDailyNews.com
The latest data on Winona’s sexual health may just be enough to kill the mood.
The bad news: chlamydia rates in Winona have risen since 2012, according to the most recent sexually transmitted disease report from the Minnesota Department of Health. The numbers reflect a statewide increase in chlamydia and gonorrhea rates in the past year.
The good news: Representatives at Winona Health and Semcac say that increase is likely just a reflection of a significant increase in testing over the past decade.
Chrissy Feine has seen the number of screenings climb during her five years as family planning director at Semcac, a regional community action council that offers health services.
“It’s like the saying goes: If you fish more often, you’re going to catch more fish,” Feine said.
Feine said the increase in screenings owes a lot to the availability of urine testing, which is more comfortable than traditional screening methods and just as accurate.
Another factor, Feine said, has been the increase in men getting tested. Five years ago, only 10 percent of individuals getting tested at Semcac were men. Now, that number is up to 15 percent.
“Part of it is normalizing the conversation and removing the stigma,” she said.
Melissa Richards, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Winona Health, agreed that an overall increase in screenings has contributed to the increase in STD rates. On top of the availability of testing, Winona Health also screens all pregnant women for various diseases.
Richards said the community needs to know the importance of staying vigilant. While discussing sexually transmitted diseases — or publishing stories about them in family newspapers — isn’t always comfortable, they are a significant public-health issue.
“Chlamydia is a huge cause of blindness in infants worldwide,” she said.
In addition, chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause a host of long-term-health complications, such as premature delivery in pregnant women and infertility in women as well as men.
Since they don’t always come with noticeable symptoms, testing for these diseases is really the only way to make sure they’re treated and keep them from spreading.
Statewide, the highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea continue to be reported by men and women ages 20-24, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Individuals can get screened for STDs at Winona Health, Semcac and Winona State University. Semcac also offers expedited partner therapy, which allows patients who test positive to take additional medication back to their partners.
“We don’t care where you get tested,” Feine said. “Just get tested.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
In Winona County
In Winona County, reported cases of chlamydia have risen steadily, from a rate of 164 per 100,000 people in 2009 to 359 in 2013. Gonorrhea rates have stayed almost exactly flat, with 14 reported in 2009 and again in 2013.
The data, from the state health department, is reported per 100,000 people for consistency; the overall number of cases in Winona County, with a population of about 50,000, would be roughly half of what’s listed above.
The numbers statewide
Chlamydia
Remains the top reported STD in Minnesota
Up 4 percent since 2012, with 18,724 cases
Most frequently reported in young adults ages 15 to 24
Gonorrhea
Remains second most commonly reported STD in Minnesota
Up 26 percent since 2012, with 3,872 cases
Most frequently reported in young adults ages 15 to 24
Syphilis
Up 64 percent since 2012, with 193 cases
New infections primarily centered in Twin Cities area among men
http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/article_3e13198c-1fc7-5d27-865b-886804fd6d54.html