by DCG
Los Angeles County health officials are blaming homophobia, stigma, racism, and threats of violence. I blame the person who is having unprotected sex with multiple partners.
From Fox LA: LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise across the nation, but the problem is particularly acute in Los Angeles County, it was reported Monday.
Not only does the county have the most cases, it also has some of the highest rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in California and the nation, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday morning.
Some public health experts have blamed the heavy use of online dating apps, arguing that they lead to more casual sex among people 25 and younger, who are the most likely to be infected and also the least inclined to seek testing, according to the newspaper.
Though the precise cause of the increase is not clear, some entrepreneurs and public health officials are trying to tackle the problem with technology. Dozens of organizations now offer STD tests that can be ordered online and mailed to homes. The customer provides a sample, sends it back to a lab and receives results within a few days. But as these tests become more popular, experts warn that they may not always be accurate.
Rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in the U.S. had been fluctuating for several years, but all surged in 2014. A particularly staggering statistic, the 1.4 million chlamydia cases reported that year, marked the highest number of annual cases of any condition ever reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to The Times.
In California, the per-capita incidence of the three diseases is higher and has been climbing since 2010.