The numbers are in and the fact is this: sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are surging across the United States, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Not only should the public be aware of the prevalence of STDs and how to take preventive measures to protect against them, but healthcare providers should also ensure people are well-informed.
*Staff at each County Health Department in the North Georgia Health District and at both Living Bridge Center HIV Clinics are educating clients and the public about STDs and STD prevention.
Anyone who has sex is at risk of infection, so what can be done? Two important actions can have big payoffs:
- Individuals can arm themselves with the facts about STDs;
- Healthcare providers and patients can consistently talk about sexual health.
“At a time when STDs are at a record high, it’s never been more important to protect your patients’ sexual health as a provider, or stand up for your own sexual health as a patient,” says Gail Bolan, MD, Director of STD Prevention at CDC. “Having a strong patient-provider relationship is always important, and the stronger these relationships are, the weaker STDs will become.”
Enter Treat Me Right – a campaign with resources and materials for patients and providers to improve communication and increase the productivity of office visits.
Treat Me Right: Tips for Patients to Work with their Healthcare Providers
By talking to a provider about what to do—and how to work together—patients can be proactive in safeguarding their sexual health. Here are some ways patients can stand up for themselves and their health in and out of the exam room:
- Prepare to honestly answer provider’s questions about sex.
- Get tested – many STDs are curable, and all are treatable. Getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have an STD.
- Get treated – prevent long-term, irreversible damage by starting treatment immediately.
- Know the benefits of expedited partner therapy (EPT) in which a provider may be able to give medicines or a prescription to partners of someone with an STD without seeing them first.
- Get retested –STDs can occur more than once, so getting retested in 3 months is important, even if you and your partner took medicine.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate – with sex partners and providers.
Protecting Our Nation’s Health: Healthcare Providers’ Key Role in Keeping People Healthy
In addition to offering the basics of STD diagnosis and treatment, Treat Me Right can help providers engage in a way that makes their patients feel heard and respected, especially around sensitive issues. For example:
Take a thorough sexual history—ask essential sexual health questions in a welcoming, relaxed tone.- Build trust with the patient— for example, make your office teen friendly to put younger patients at ease.
- Reassure patients that their information is confidential—especially before asking sensitive questions.
- Ensure that the patient understands all terms used to avoid confusion.
- Determine which STD tests the patient needs—information from the sexual history also helps in selecting the anatomical sites that should be tested. Some patients, such as gay or bisexual men or pregnant women, may have special testing considerations.
- Follow CDC’s STD Treatment Guidelines if patients are diagnosed with an STD.
- Encourage your patients to return for follow-up testing in 3 months—reinfection is common for some STDs.
Take Control and Be Informed
When patients and providers work together, it empowers individuals to take control of their sexual health, and it allows providers to more quickly diagnose and treat any infections that occur. Let’s all work together to reduce STDs.
Please visit the Treat Me Right website for information on STDs, as well as for resources for healthcare providers and patients.
*Contact information for County Health Departments in the North Georgia Heath District is as follows:
Cherokee County Health Department: 1219 Univeter Road, Canton, GA 30115, (770) 345-7371 and 7545 North Main Street, Suite 100, Woodstock, GA 30188, (770) 928-0133
Fannin County Health Department: 95 Ouida Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513, (706) 632-3023
Gilmer County Health Department: 28 Southside Church Street, Ellijay, GA 30540, (706) 635-4363
Murray County Health Department: 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705, (706) 695-4585
Pickens County Health Department: 60 Health Way, Jasper, GA 30143, (706) 253-2821
Whitfield County Health Department: 800 Professional Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30720, (706) 279-9600
*The Living Bridge Center is located at 1200 West Waugh Street in Dalton and The Living Bridge Center South is at 130 Riverstone Terrace, Suite 102 in Canton. The Living Bridge Centers are the providers of Ryan White Part B and C in the North Georgia Health District.
Abstaining from sex, reducing the number of sexual partners, and consistently and correctly using condoms are all effective prevention strategies. Safe, effective vaccines are also available to prevent hepatitis B and some types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause disease and cancer. And for all individuals who are sexually active – particularly young people – STI screening and prompt treatment (if infected) are critical to protect a person’s health and prevent transmission to others.
More information about STDs is available at all the above county health departments in North Georgia and on the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/std.
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Resource: www.cdcnpin.org/stdawareness
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About STD Awareness Month: April is STD Awareness Month, an annual observance to raise public awareness about the impact of STDs on the lives of Americans and the importance of preventing, testing for, and treating STDs. It is an opportunity to normalize routine STD testing and conversations about sexual health.