Genesee County Health Department
Better Life Through Better Health
Date: March
30, 2009
Release Date: Immediate Release
End Date: April 30, 2009
Contact Person:
Kathi Hasenohrl, MA, Health Educator
Phone:
(810) 341-5900
RE: April
is STD Awareness Month
The Genesee County Health Department announces April
as “STD Awareness Month” in order to raise awareness about the very real
presence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in our community 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 acquired through sexual activity. STD infections
include chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV),
trichomoniasis and syphilis. All of these infections continue to be spread
among Genesee County citizens. STD testing is especially important now
because Genesee County is experiencing a syphilis outbreak. The number of
syphilis cases in 2008 was the highest ever recorded in Genesee County!
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 a STD, women, youth and people of
color are more likely to become infected. Each year, 1 in 4 teens becomes
infected with a STD. By age 25, half of all sexually active young people
will have had a 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 most STDs. STD
testing is the only way to confirm
infection. The GCHD Adult/Teen Clinic in the McCree Courts and Human
Services Center, located 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 and Tuesday from 12:45pm-4pm only. Please visit
www.gchd.us
for further information.
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