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A 90-page STD
report released Thursday shows that new
HIV cases in Cleveland have increased
for the fourth straight year. Public health officials believe the spike
is being driven by high-risk behaviors among adolescents and young
adults.
Officials are especially concerned about the number of AIDS diagnoses in
black and Hispanic males under age 30 in the past three years. They are
uncertain how long the men were infected and putting others at risk.
The increase in new HIV cases may be due to more people, particularly
black women, being tested. Doctors and clinics are being urged to test
more for STDs, noted Dr. Ann Avery, medical director for the Cleveland
Health Department (CHD).
The report shows an overall decline in Cuyahoga County's rates of
chlamydia and
gonorrhea, but around three-quarters of the chlamydia cases
reported in 2005 - the most recent data available - occurred among
people ages 15-24. For gonorrhea, the figure was about 60 percent.
People infected with both chlamydia and gonorrhea are at higher risk for
acquiring HIV, said David Bruckman, a CHD epidemiologist who compiled
the statistics for both Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.
The high STD rates among young people underscore the need for keeping
the sweeping sex education curriculum introduced last fall by Cleveland
public schools, say officials. While the K-12 program has strong
political backing, its financial future is somewhat uncertain.
Approximately $1.7 million in federal money was disbursed to Cleveland,
Parma and East Cleveland schools last year, and an additional $1.3
million is being sought this year.
To view a copy of
the STD report, visit
www.clevelandhealth.org/hivstats.
Plain Dealer
(Cleveland) (05.25.07):: Regina McEnery |
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