WHYY News – STI Awareness Week has put a renewed spotlight on Philadelphia’s status as [worst] in the country when it comes to sexually transmitted infection rates.
That’s according to a study released earlier this year, based on CDC data comparing the STI rates of 100 cities nationwide.
Philadelphia has hovered in the [worst] five for several years, ranking fifth in 2023.
So what’s behind Philadelphia’s soaring STI rates, and what is the city doing about it?
Causes of rising STIs
The city did not make any health officials available for comment, but Dr. Judy O’Donnell, an epidemiologist and Chief of Infectious Diseases at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, has spent years tracking STIs in Philadelphia.
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“There are just harder-to-reach populations,” O’Donnell said, “and that can really contribute to the stubbornness of these infections from being tackled effectively and from preventing transmission.”
Most notably, in recent years, COVID-19 has hindered access to prompt medical care, driving up STI rates nationwide.
In addition to the pandemic, O’Donnell says that factors related to social determinants of health have also contributed to rising rates in Philadelphia.
“Poverty plays a role here, age plays a role, certain racial and ethnic minority groups may have higher barriers in terms of access to health care, and then [homosexual] and bisexual males can also be at higher risk,” she said.
“It has to do with groups that are more vulnerable, groups who have less access to health care in general, and people feeling stigmatized in some ways about getting tested for STDs.”
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Younger people, between the ages of 15 and 24, have some of the highest rates — in part, O’Donnell said, because they’re less likely to have other health problems that would cause them to seek out medical care, or they may feel embarrassed about discussing their sexual health …
The Real Causes of Rising STDs
OPINION | Pure Life Ministries – Sin is a poison that affects the whole human race. Sexual sin, in particular, is like a great fire that begins with a spark, and if left unchecked, devours everything in its path.
It destroys the soul and burns to the lowest hell.
The person who thinks he can live and continue to expose himself to the toxic fumes of lustful thinking and infidelity and not be affected is sorely deceived and doesn’t realize that this inconspicuous killer is already at work, deep within his soul.
The man who continues to expose himself to any kind of sin is basically throwing himself into a consuming fire that won’t relent until his whole body and soul are utterly destroyed.
“Can a man take fire to his bosom and his clothes not be burned?” (Prov 6:27)
“Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” (Jas. 1:15-16)
Anyone who has a sight of the reality of his sexual sin and where it leads to, would be absolutely insane to even consider exposing himself to it again and again … READ MORE.