April is STD Awareness Month

Contact:
Kent Donahue
Kent.Donahue@flhealth.gov
407-858-1418

ORLANDO, FL – The Florida Department of Health in Orange County (DOH-Orange) encourages the community to be aware of the long-term health impacts of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) during STD Awareness Month and STD Awareness Week (April 10-16, 2022).

Efforts to raise awareness provide an opportunity to increase the conversation about STDs and how they impact our lives.  In addition, it is also an opportunity to ensure people have the tools and knowledge to prevent, test for, and treat STDs.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported STDs in the United States reached an all-time high for the 6^th consecutive year in 2019. Based on the recent numbers, here in Orange County we saw an increase in cases in 2021 when compared to the previous year’s total. There were 17,277 total STD cases reported in 2021. Orange County’s total numbers for the four prior years were 14,012 (2020), 15,241 (2019), 14,311 (2018) and 13,990 (2017).

Often STDs have no symptoms and go undetected. When not found or treated, the disease continues to spread and can impact the health of others. The good news is STDs are preventable, and most STDs are easily diagnosed and treated.

Anyone sexually active should talk to their partner and a doctor about risk factors, getting tested, and if necessary, getting treated to avoid additional health problems.  For further information on testing and treatment, contact DOH-Orange’s STD program at 407-858-1445.

The DOH-Orange STD Program works to control transmission through four major avenues:

• Education of at-risk persons on the modes of disease transmission and the means for reducing the risk of transmission by changing sexual behaviors.
• Detection of infection in persons without symptoms, and those who are unlikely to seek diagnostic and treatment services.
• Diagnosis and treatment of persons who are infected.
• Evaluation, treatment and counseling of sex partners of persons with a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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