April is National STD Awareness Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2007
Contact
Sonya Kuykendall, RN, BSN, PHN – STD Nurse
(217) 531-5359
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
April is National STD Awareness Month
April is National STD Awareness Month, sponsored by the American Social Health Association. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages all Illinois healthcare providers to alert clients to the increasing presence of sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) as they are one of the state’s most persistent (yet preventable) health problems. Public awareness and knowledge remain critically low around the U.S., and STD’s are occurring at epidemic levels, particularly in 15-29 year-olds. Education and testing are crucial, as many STD’s may show few, if any, outward symptoms.
- Preliminary data from 2006 indicates that over 53,000 cases of Chlamydia and over 20,000 cases of Gonorrhea were reported to Illinois Department of Public Health.
- Approximately 90% of all Chlamydia cases and 79% of all Gonorrhea case in Illinois were from the 15-29 age range.
- In 2006, Champaign County had 1,071 Chlamydia cases and 380 Gonorrhea cases.
- In 2006, Champaign County experienced an outbreak of early Syphilis cases, a 400% increase from 2005. Total number of Syphilis cases was 24.
In observance of this month, CUPHD would like to offer Champaign County citizens and health care providers resources to assist in STD education, screening, diagnosis, and treatment issues. CUPHD also offers three weekly walk-in STD clinics for Champaign County residents:
Mondays: Champaign clinic (710 N. Neil -352-7961) 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. (Men’s Clinic)
Tuesdays: Champaign clinic (710 N. Neil - 352-7961) 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Thursdays: Champaign clinic (710 N. Neil - 352-7961) 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and the Champaign County Public Health Department are part of a national effort to reduce STD incidence and prevalence. Nurses in our Infectious Diseases division perform outreach and testing at local jails, juvenile detention centers, schools, and homeless shelters. Furthermore, urine testing for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia is available on our mobile vans – “Wellness on Wheels (WOW)” (alternating Fridays at local homeless shelters) and “Teen Wellness on Wheels (Teen WOW)” (alternating between Central and Centennial High Schools every Wednesday from 2:00 – 4:00p.m). Also, educational presentations about STD’s are performed monthly in a variety of outreach settings.
For more information, please contact Sonya Kuykendall, RN, BSN, PHN in the Division of Infectious Disease Prevention and Management at (217) 531-5359.
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