STDs are extremely common and the number of cases are continuing to grow, however many people have no idea of this fact. According to the studies from the CDC in 2018, 2.5 million Americans have an STD, chlamydia is one of the most common with over 1.8 million cases. Americans had increased cases of nearly all STDs in 2018, however only 36% of Americans knew that STDs have become more common over the last decade. Cases of chlamydia specifically have increased by 42% over the last decade. Many health officials believe that the rise in STDs is due to a lack of care and effort by young adults to prevent these diseases. It is not surprising to me that so many people are not educated about STDs, even I did not know that chlamydia was so common in Americans.
Baker University in Kansas is doing their part to stop the chlamydia outbreak in the US. Jamie Pellikan, a student there, believes that the rise of cases in chlamydia can be contributed to poor sex education courses. Baker University officials are trying to get health officials to come to campus and educate students on STDs and the factors surrounding them. They are also encouraging students to be more mindful about STDs by getting tested more often and keeping the sexual partners informed about their testing status. Chlamydia is common, however it can be harmful if it is not treated correctly with physician-prescribed medications. It is also possible for chlamydia to come back after treatment has been completed. Baker University is keeping students informed about these chlamydia facts and more by sending emails to students about the dangers of chlamydia and ways to prevent it. I definitely agree with the claim that sex education is not doing a good job of properly educating people on STDs. In my schools growing up, the sex ed courses were short and relatively unhelpful.
Chlamydia, and all other STDs, are preventable. The one and only way sure-fire way to prevent an STD is by practicing abstinence, there is no way you can get an STD if you do not have sex. Another way to prevent getting STDs is by wearing a condom, however these do not always work. Many people do not wear condoms correctly and some STDs can be transmitted through the part of the genitals that the condom does not cover. You can also prevent the spread of STDs by getting tested regularly and being honest with your sexual partner about history of STDs. By educating themselves and practicing safe sex, it is possible for people to decrease the amount of STDs being transmitted in the US.
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