Baltimore ranks first among US cities with the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases: Report
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are at an all-time high in the US, and Baltimore leads with the highest rate.
According to a new study by Innerbody -- an online medical and wellness testing guide -- Baltimore in Maryland has made the highest jump in STD rankings this year and is up five spots since last year to rank first. The city has 2,004 STD cases per 100,000 people. The analysis records 7,636 cases of chlamydia, 4,231 gonorrhea cases, 207 HIV cases and 210 cases of syphilis in Baltimore.
Jackson in Mississippi with 1,872 STD cases per 100,000 occupies the second position.
The analysis is based on the Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in October 2019.
Multiple factors drive the continued increase in STDs, say experts. CDC data suggests that factors contributing to the overall increase in STDs include drug use, poverty, stigma, and unstable housing -- all of which can reduce access to STD prevention and care. Decreased condom use among vulnerable groups, including young people and gay and bisexual men, is another reason.
“Cuts to STD programs at the state and local level – in recent years, more than half of local programs have experienced budget cuts, resulting in clinic closures, reduced screening, staff loss, and reduced patient follow-up and linkage to care services,” says CDC.
Besides Baltimore and Jackson, the remaining cities among the top 20 with the highest STD rates are Philadelphia, San Francisco, Montgomery, Augusta, Milwaukee, Killeen, Shreveport, Indianapolis, New York (Bronx), Fayetteville, New York (Manhattan), Tallahassee, Columbus, Peoria, Washington DC, Columbia, Denver, and Birmingham.
“We also noticed that three of the top 10 cities are relatively small (Augusta, Killeen, and Shreveport), but share one thing in common: they are home to relatively large military bases,” says the report. In terms of total STD cases -- which includes HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea only, the top five cities are Los Angeles (92,401), Chicago (58,322), Houston (36,710), Phoenix (34,973), and Philadelphia (28,866), says the Innerbody report.
According to the latest CDC report, released in October 2019, combined cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia reached an all-time high in the US in 2018. CDC experts say that STDs can have severe health consequences. Among the most tragic are newborn deaths related to congenital syphilis, which increased 22% from 2017 to 2018 (from 77 to 94 deaths), says CDC.
“STDs can come at a high cost for babies and other vulnerable populations. Curbing STDs will improve the overall health of the nation and prevent infertility, HIV, and infant deaths,” says Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention in a statement. Antibiotics can cure syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. However, left untreated, STDs can be transmitted to others and produce adverse health outcomes such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and increased HIV risk.
The Innerbody analysis further says that American southern states continue to dominate the state rankings with alarmingly high STD rates. According to the report, 7 out of the top 10 states are in the South. “California led all states with the largest number of cities with high STD rates with seven cities. Ohio and Texas tied for the second most cities, both of which had six each,” says the analysis.