Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

Release Date:             Immediate Release     

End Date:                    April 30, 2008

Contact Person:          Kathi Hasenohrl
                                    Genesee County Health Department

Phone:                         (810) 341-5900

RE:        April is STD Awareness Month

            The Genesee County Health Department announces the month of April as STD Awareness Month in order to both raise awareness about the impact of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and to encourage discussion about sexual health between health care providers, patients and their partners. STDs include a variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections that are acquired through sexual activity, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis and trichomoniasis. Rates of STDs in Genesee County are high.

Untreated STDs can lead to infertility, chronic pain, miscarriage, widespread infection, and death. While any person who is sexually active is at risk for getting an STD, women, youth and people of color are more likely to become infected. Each year, 1 in 4 teens are infected with an STD. By age 25, half of all sexually active young people will have had an STD.

            The Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) encourages anyone who is sexually active to get tested for STDs. Many STDs can be “silent” in their early stages, so those who are infected may not know it. Treatment can cure many STDs. STD testing is the only way to discover infection. The GCHD Adult Clinic at McCree Courts and Human Services Center at 630 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502 offers STD and HIV testing on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:45am-11am and 12:45pm-4pm. Tuesday from 12:45pm-4pm only. Please visit www.gchd.us for further information.

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