Philadelphia is the number one US city for brand spanking new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – based on the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This is from fifth place in 2023 and places Philadelphia ahead of 4 cities that were previously rated higher: Memphis, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; New Orleans and St. Louis.
Among 15- to 24-year-olds in Philadelphia Syphilis cases have increased by 30% since 2019, while cases of gonorrhea [increased 18%]The variety of chlamydia cases on this age group has decreased by 13% in comparison with pre-pandemic levels, but stays high.
As a professor of public health, I research sexual health problems and inequalities amongst Black men who’ve sex with men and other marginalized groups. I work directly with these communities to research and develop health interventions that meet their needs.
I do know that two essential obstacles High-quality sexuality education and access to confidential STI testing are crucial for the sexual health of young people.
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Sex education in schools
In the USA, 28 states and Washington DC Sex education classes are mandatory in primary and secondary schools. These programs are often comprehensive and include details about sexually transmitted diseases.
However, Pennsylvania shouldn’t be certainly one of these states.
Pennsylvania law requires Schools to supply education on the prevention of HIV and AIDS and other “life-threatening and communicable diseases” – but with none specific information on sexually transmitted diseases.
Every school district within the state can resolve which teaching materials are used to fulfill the necessities. This information doesn’t must be medically accurate or supported by evidence-based research.
Furthermore, schools usually are not required to discuss topics comparable to consent, sexual orientation and gender identity, or healthy sexual relationships.
Abstinence-based vs. comprehensive
The lack of more specific guidelines and standards led to controversial sex education classes within the Wallingford-Swarthmore school district in suburban Philadelphia in 2018. 17-year-old student filed a criticism They told the varsity district that as a part of the RealEd “relationship education program,” they were advised to avoid kissing and cuddling since it could cause hormone loss and “make it difficult to bond with a future spouse.”
Other students reported that the curriculum taught them that having too many sexual partners “less sticky”, like a reused piece of tape and prevents them from having healthy relationships.
Search suggestions that sex teaching programs that emphasize abstinence don’t reduce rates of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. In some cases, they could result in a rise in sexually transmitted diseases.
In contrast, studies have shown that comprehensive sex teaching programs in schools have resulted in: reduced sexual intercourse, increased use of contraceptivesAnd fewer teenage pregnancies. These comprehensive programs are medically accurate and age-appropriate, providing youth with comprehensive sexual health education that goes beyond HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, and abstinence.
It shouldn’t be clear whether comprehensive teaching programs directly result in lower STI rates. However, studies show that increased safer sex practices is a logical results of comprehensive sex education.
Although the Philadelphia School District has no specific sex education policies, it confirmed via email that each one 218 district schools – this doesn’t include alternative and charter schools – use chosen lessons from the 3Rs: Rights, Respect, Responsibility Sex education curriculum as a part of health education for grades K-12.
In addition, their Office of Health, Safety and Physical Education works closely with a grant-based program called Promoting the health of adolescent students, PASH,The program “focuses on reducing risk behaviors among adolescents that lead to unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV” at 17 priority schools in the town.
Confidential testing and other strategies
Since Philadelphia lacks tailored, comprehensive sex teaching programs for all school-age youth, listed here are some evidence-based strategies that may be implemented to cut back the speed of latest STI infections.
Other relevant courses: Current sex teaching programs might include: broader range of sexual health topicscomparable to healthy communication and sexual desire. Curricula is also adapted and implemented for younger age groupsand health professionals could work directly with students to find out what you wish to include in a sex education program. Providing the data online will help make it more accessible and up-to-date.
LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula: LGBTQ+ youth are sometimes more vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases attributable to Stigmatization and lack of access to culturally positive healthcareThey are also more likely to experience harmful consequences to refrain from abstinence-based programs and comprehensive sex teaching programs that usually are not tailored to their needs. Research shows quite a bit higher results through comprehensive sexuality teaching programs that address the needs of LGBTQ+ youth and to which youth are exposed before engaging in sexual intercourse.
Testing at home: Testing can slow the spread of STIs, and residential testing particularly can address concerns many young people have about confidentiality and access. Research has shown that young people want an STI and HIV screening test at home Kits which are reasonably priced and practical.
Affirmation of health care: I imagine additionally it is essential that healthcare providers receive education and training on culturally affirming sexual health care for young people. This includes providers having the ability to have conversations with patients of other races or ethnic backgrounds that they find uncomfortable, sexual orientations and gender identities.
Comprehensive treatment: Researchers conducting a study on over 5,000 Philadelphia teenagers aged 16-17 recommend that healthcare professionals use a so-called “STI care continuum“to enhance STI screening and treatment of young people. This implies that youth with STI symptoms usually are not only tested and treated, but additionally receive resources for contact tracing and prevention counseling and are retested.
When it involves testing, national guidelines recommend Health care providers test all women ages 25 and younger annually for chlamydia and gonorrhea. At least annual testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis is advisable for young men who’ve sex with men.
If schools, CommunitiesIf health professionals and other groups pursued these strategies concurrently and together, I imagine STI rates amongst Philadelphia's youth would decline significantly.
image credit : theconversation.com