STIs a "hidden epidemic": SOGC
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《加拿大医疗协会学报》
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) is calling for a national strategy to combat rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which they say have risen so much they constitute a "hidden epidemic."
Cases of chlamydia rose by 74% from 1997 to 2004, states the SOGC, which analyzed data provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The incidence rate was 191.4 per 100 000 people in 2004, up from 109.9 per 100 000 in 1997.
Gonorrheal infections increased by 81%, with an incidence rate of 26 per 100 000 in 2004 compared with 14.3 in 1997.
Syphilis rose by 908% over the same period, with an incidence rate of 3.9 per 100 000 in 2004, from 0.4 per 100 000 in 1997. (The 2004 figures were calculated by projecting current case rates as of June 2004 to 12 months.)
Chlamydia was most common in people aged 15–24 and gonorrhea was most prevalent among women 15–24, and men 20–29. Cases of syphilis occurred primarily in men aged 30 and older.
"What we need to have is a national strategy," says SOGC Associate Executive Vice-President Dr. Vyta Senikas.
A multimillion-dollar strategy, consisting of a broad-based public education campaign, should come from "the top," and include Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada as "active partners," as well as non-governmental organizations such as the SOGC, Planned Parenthood, family physicians, nurses and rural physicians, Senikas says.
Physicians believe the infection rates are increasing, in part, because young people are engaging in more unprotected sex and because they believe oral sex is safer than it is, says Senikas.
The Society, which plans to lobby the new Health Minister on this issue, doesn't know how much the campaign would cost.
However, "the consequences of these diseases, the burden of these diseases on the public is enormous," says Senikas.(Laura Eggertson)
Cases of chlamydia rose by 74% from 1997 to 2004, states the SOGC, which analyzed data provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The incidence rate was 191.4 per 100 000 people in 2004, up from 109.9 per 100 000 in 1997.
Gonorrheal infections increased by 81%, with an incidence rate of 26 per 100 000 in 2004 compared with 14.3 in 1997.
Syphilis rose by 908% over the same period, with an incidence rate of 3.9 per 100 000 in 2004, from 0.4 per 100 000 in 1997. (The 2004 figures were calculated by projecting current case rates as of June 2004 to 12 months.)
Chlamydia was most common in people aged 15–24 and gonorrhea was most prevalent among women 15–24, and men 20–29. Cases of syphilis occurred primarily in men aged 30 and older.
"What we need to have is a national strategy," says SOGC Associate Executive Vice-President Dr. Vyta Senikas.
A multimillion-dollar strategy, consisting of a broad-based public education campaign, should come from "the top," and include Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada as "active partners," as well as non-governmental organizations such as the SOGC, Planned Parenthood, family physicians, nurses and rural physicians, Senikas says.
Physicians believe the infection rates are increasing, in part, because young people are engaging in more unprotected sex and because they believe oral sex is safer than it is, says Senikas.
The Society, which plans to lobby the new Health Minister on this issue, doesn't know how much the campaign would cost.
However, "the consequences of these diseases, the burden of these diseases on the public is enormous," says Senikas.(Laura Eggertson)