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Sexually transmitted diseases are an increasing challenge for
racial/ethnic and sexual minorities.
Data (2005) from
a sentinel surveillance project located in 27 STD clinics throughout the
United States revealed that a significant proportion (29%) of men who
have sex with men (MSM) were exposed to ciprofloxacin resistant
gonorrhea. These sites also reported increasing rates of syphilis and
chlamydia among MSM. In addition, 18% of MSM diagnosed with gonorrhea
were HIV-positive. Data also suggest that an increasing number of MSM
are engaging in sexual behaviors that place them at risk for STDs and
HIV infection.
In 2005, approximately 68% of the total number of cases of gonorrhea
reported to CDC occurred among African Americans. In 2005, the rate of
gonorrhea among African Americans was 626.4 cases per 100,000
population, among American Indian/Alaska Natives, the rate was 131.7,
and among Hispanics, the rate was 74.8. These rates are 18, 4, and 2
times higher, than the 2005 rate among whites respectively, 35.2 cases
per 100,000 population. The rate of gonorrhea among Asian/Pacific
Islanders in 2005 was 25.9 cases per 100,000 population.
In 2005, gonorrhea rates were highest for African Americans aged 15 to
19 and 20 to 24 years among all racial, ethnic, and age categories. The
rate for African-American women aged 15-19 years was 2,814.0 cases per
100,000 females. This rate was 14 times greater than the 2005 rate among
white females of similar age (204.7). African-American men in the 15- to
19-year-old age category had a 2005 gonorrhea rate of 1,417.5 cases per
100,000 males, which was 36 times higher than the rate among 15- to
19-year-old white males of 39.7 per 100,000.
Gonorrhea rates were 3.7 times greater among American Indian/Alaska
Natives, and 2.1 times greater among Hispanics than whites.
In 2005, the rate of chlamydia among blacks was over eight times higher
than that of whites. The rates among American Indian/Alaska Natives and
Hispanics were also higher than that of whites.
In 2005, 41% of all cases of primary and secondary syphilis reported to
CDC occurred among African Americans and 40% of all cases occurred among
non-Hispanic whites. Compared to non-Hispanic whites, the 2005 rate for
African Americans was 5.4 times higher, and for Hispanics, 1.8 times
higher.
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