Skip to main content

Let’s talk about sex(ually transmitted infections), baby…

We get it. The topic of STIs (sexually transmitted infections) is often something we’d rather avoid. It can be as awkward as a bumble date where they looked nothing like their picture. But the reality is, STIs are far more common than we think, and getting informed is the best way to protect ourselves and others. Whether you’re in a committed relationship, casually dating, or in a situationship, understanding STIs is an important part of taking care of your health. To help us dive in, we have Nichole Louis, Director of Health Care Services at CCHD. Nichole has been a registered nurse for over 25 years and has led CCHD’s communicable disease investigation team for the past 9 years. When a Clinton County resident tests positive for an STI, Nichole’s team connects with their provider to ensure anyone exposed can be tested and/or treated early and the risk of further spread is eliminated.

Nichole, I know they can often be silent – or show no symptoms, but when it comes to STI’s what signs should we be looking for that mean an immediate call to our provider?

Some people only have mild symptoms, or sometimes none at all (this is why regular testing is important). But if you or your partner experience any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to get tested as soon as possible.    

  • Unusual discharge from the penis, vagina, or anus.
  • Pain or burning sensation during urination or intercourse.
  • Sores, blisters, or rashes on or around the genitals, anus, or mouth.
  • Unexplained skin changes, lumps, or growths in the genital area.
  • Painful or swollen lymph nodes in the groin or throat.
  • Sore throat, painful swallowing, redness and swelling of the mouth or throat, white spots or blisters in the back of the throat.

What STI’s are we seeing most often in our community and how does that compare to other areas of the state and the country as a whole? 

Chlamydia. It’s the most commonly reported STI across the US with a national rate of 492.2 per 100K in 2023.  In Clinton County that rate is 220 per 100K for the same year. As with most illnesses in New York, the highest rates in the state are concentrated in New York City.

I know your division has been tracking, mapping, and investigating Chlamydia in our community since it become a required reportable condition in 2000. What have you learned about what is happening in our community?

Historically we have seen that Chlamydia rates among females are higher than those among males, though that gap seems to be narrowing. Chlamydia makes up almost half (46%) of all our communicable disease cases (excluding COVID-19) in Clinton County. The most common age groups for Chlamydia cases for the last several years are ages 20-29, followed by ages 15-19, and ages 30-39.  We saw a significant drop in reported cases in 2020, likely due to the pandemic and to lack of access to health care and more people staying home. Our rates for Gonorrhea and Syphilis are significantly smaller at 2% and 4%, respectively, of all reportable disease reports. 

What can community members do to help reduce STI’s in our community – both directly and indirectly?

Because STIs pass from person to person through sexual contact, prioritizing safe sex practices is extremely important. The only way to completely avoid STIs is to abstain from vaginal, anal, and oral sex, but reducing your number of sexual partners and using condoms the right way every time will help to prevent them. Hepatitis B, HPV, and Mpox all have vaccines recommended to prevent infection. Regular testing and honest, open communication about sexual health are also paramount in reducing your risks.

STI testing should be a regular part of your healthcare routine, just like dental check-ups or annual physicals. Early detection and treatment of STIs can prevent serious health problems and help stop the spread of infection to others.

What is expedited partner therapy or EPT?

EPT is a way for your partner (or partners) to be treated without an exam. This should be offered to most people with a diagnosis of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea or Trichomoniasis. Locally, you might be given a prescription for your partner (without their name on it) or the clinic may give you the medication right at your appointment. Your insurance covers the cost of the prescriptions for your partner or it can be paid for out-of-pocket. This is an important step in preventing reinfection and spread of STIs. It helps to remove barriers that prevent people from seeking testing. You can’t use EPT if you are diagnosed with syphilis or co-infected with more than one STI. You and your partner should seek immediate treatment at a health care provider or clinic.

Top 3 things to remember.

  1. Get tested for STIs regularly.
  2. Use condoms the right way, every time.
  3. Ask for EPT if it is not offered to you. 





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Opioids in the North Country: What it Really Looks Like

 Like many of you, each day articles pop up on my social media feed referring to a ‘crisis’, a ‘problem’ or an ‘epidemic’ surrounding the use of opioids. But is what I see portrayed on the news or social media really what is happening here where I live? It’s common for us North Country folk to see statistics from New York City, Buffalo or Rochester referred to as ‘New York’ – but where we live is so different than those cities, it makes it hard to gauge how serious it really is. This month, we have enlisted the help of Carrie Coryer to help us better understand what this problem looks like in our community, and more importantly, what we can do to help. Carrie is the Harm Reduction Program Manager for the Alliance for Positive Health and works with individuals struggling with addiction each day to help guide them through the recovery process and break down the barriers they may have to achieve that success.  Carrie, growing up here I have always heard that drugs were a probl...

Pumpkin Spice Up Someone's Life

The worst part about being an adult has to be the endless cycle of meal planning, shopping, preparing and cleaning up after preparing meals. I had no idea I would spend so much of my adult life thinking about what my family was going to eat. Add in the cost of food and it’s enough to keep you up at night. Did you know Clinton County’s food insecurity rate was almost 12% in 2020? And think about how much the cost of living has changed since then. Nutrition security means having consistent and equitable access to healthy foods, having them available in our stores, having them be affordable to us and knowing what to do with them. If our family is missing even one of those pieces, it can make us food or nutrition insecure. CCHD is working with local partners to try and combat the roadblocks our families face every day while trying to feed their families. In 2022, we created a Food Action Plan with local partners to set goals, priorities, actions and strategies intended to strengthen the l...

Burning Questions: Fire Prevention & Safety

Social media has us watching real-time updates of structure fires in the North Country – but am I just noticing them now or are they happening more often? Or is it both? According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the number of fires, fire related deaths and money lost due to fires in the U.S. have all increased more than 10% in the past 10 years. The U.S. has already seen 1,403 home fire fatalities just this year. Do you have a plan if you woke up to a fire in your home in? Now in my house, it has been made very clear – I am on my own, my wife will be saving the dogs before me. But that hardly makes us prepared. How will we get out of each room? Where will we meet? This fire safety month, we sat down with Clinton County Emergency Services Director Eric Day. Eric has more than 30 years of experience preventing and fighting fires in the North Country. Eric, it seems like we have had more major structure fires in the past few years than usual. Is that true or are they just more widely ...