Estimated STD infection rates are in the millions this year. April is National Sexually Transmitted Diseases Awareness Month. Florida's 89.1, WUFT FM's Chris Gilmore spoke with Disease Intervention specialist Marie Jean-Baptiste at the Alachua County Health Department about what's going on in the area to educate the public.
The Center for Disease Control estimates that about 19 million people will be infected with sexually transmitted diseases. It's numbers like this that encourage Alachua County Health Department, Disease Intervention Specialist, Marie Jean Baptiste to continue offering outreach services including testing. Jean-Baptiste says that even after infection, plenty of sexually transmitted diseases are treatable. Jean Baptiste goes on to say that sometimes talking is the most effective tool against sexually transmitted diseases.
The Health Department is stressing what they call the three T's this month: Treating, testing, and talking. Jean Baptiste says sometimes talking to your partner before sexual activity is more important than talking to your health care provider.
The Health Department offers testing all year round for HIV, clamydia, ghonarrhea and other STD's and will be handing out free condoms this month.
<i>The Alachua County Health Department offers information about how to prevent sexually transmited diseases.</i>
<i>Alachua County Health Department offers free condoms to help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.</i>