Number Of STD Cases In California Increasing At A ‘Concerning Rate’
It is the third year in a row that there's been an increase in chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases.
Los Angeles Times:
STD Rates Hit Another Record High, With California Near The Top
The number of Americans diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis reached a record high in 2016 for the second year in a row, with more than 2 million cases reported and particularly high rates in California, according to federal data released Tuesday. Cases of these three sexually transmitted diseases have been increasing nationally since 2014, reversing a downward trend that began in 2006. Health officials say the rates reflect decreasing condom usage, a lack of awareness about STDs among doctors and patients, and a falling number of STD clinics. (Karlamangla, 9/26)
KPCC:
Steady Rise In California's STD Rates Frustrates Public Health Officials
The California Department of Public Health says more than 250,000 cases of STDs were reported in 2016, a 40 percent increase compared with five years ago. ... Los Angeles County experienced sharper increases in gonorrhea and congenital syphilis cases than the state as a whole, according to the county Public Health Department. (Plevin, 9/26)
In other public health news —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Huge Genetic Study To Search For Custom Treatments
In a quest to end cookie-cutter health care, researchers are getting ready to recruit more than 1 million people for an unprecedented study to learn how our genes, environments and lifestyles interact — and to finally develop custom ways to prevent and treat disease. (Neergaard, 9/26)
The Mercury News:
Is It Fair That The Amount Of Bonding Time You Get With Your Baby Hinges On The Size Of Your Employer?
Federal and state law divides babies into two categories. The privileged newborns have parents who work at companies with 50 or more employees, including [Cat] Crist who manages a Marie Callender outlet in Westminster. But nearly half of California’s mothers and fathers have jobs at smaller businesses–there were just 22 employees where Berreth worked—and their infants often get far less parental bonding. Next month, the California Assembly will vote on a Senate-passed bill to reduce the disparity. If approved by lawmakers and signed by the governor, the legislation would extend the same rights enjoyed by workers at larger companies–longer parental leaves and job protection with continued health coverage–to employees at firms with 20 to 49 workers. (Roosevelt, 9/26)
East Bay Times:
Horses That Help Soothe Dementia Patients And Caregivers
Asked at Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center in Orinda what he has derived from grooming Dakota’s mane, the Orinda resident [Jim Frane] said, “Everything.” Nearby, his wife of 56 years, Tré Frane, relaxes, a smile erasing the worried furrow from her brow. The couple, in their 70s, are participating in Connected Horse’s “Equine Guided Workshops for People Living with Early Stage Dementia and Their Care Partners.” The four-week, 2 ½-hour workshops have as their goal a community embedded extension of the nonprofit’s programs and research. Participants led by trained equine handlers and expert facilitators engage in grooming, leading and interacting with horses in an open paddock. No riding is included in this no-cost program; the emphasis is on therapeutic activities, stress reduction, multisensory awareness and more. (Fancher, 9/27)