 
February 8, 2008
STD Cases on the Rise in Utah
Rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Utah, though low relative to the rest of the United States, are quickly rising, reports The Salt Lake Tribune (sltrib.com, 2/3). According to the newspaper, more than 6,400 individuals in the state had chlamydia or gonorrhea last year.
Utah’s gonorrhea rate rose faster between 2000 and 2005 than the rate of the STD in any other state in the country, the Tribune reports. According to public health officials, more people in the state are having sex with multiple partners and there is little prevention information distributed. They also say that treatment advances in illnesses such as HIV/AIDS may be causing people to become complacent about protecting themselves.
Health officials say that the rise in STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea could lead to a rise in HIV cases, as people with STDs are more likely to contract the virus.
Some health care providers blame abstinence-based sex education in Utah schools for the rise in STD rates. In the state’s public schools, teachers are allowed to teach about condoms; however, they cannot advocate their use.
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