New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) has sounded the alarm on the city's STI situation with the launch of its 2024 STI Report. Data, collected by the Louisiana Department of Health stretching from 2018 to 2023, underlines worrying trends that make it clear: this crisis isn't just numbers on a page—it's a pressing public health emergency. With a chlamydia incidence rate outpacing the state and national averages and a surge in HIV cases among teens, something's gotta give, according to the City of New Orleans.
It's important to note, as New Orleans Health Department Deputy Director of Population Health & Disease Prevention Jeanie Donovan puts it, "While this report reveals some extremely concerning trends, the good news is that the STIs covered in this report are both preventable and treatable." That's a chance, isn't it? A chance that could be swiped away by the reality of Louisiana's rankings in the STI league tables: 1st for chlamydia and frighteningly high for pretty much everything else. Two out of every 100 New Orleans residents caught a bacterial STI in 2023, and if you're in New Orleans East ZIP code 70129, you've been residing in a place where gonorrhea cases leaped by 71%, as reported by the City of New Orleans.
New Orleans Health Department isn't sitting back. They're rallying for change through public awareness and a riveting battle against stigma, according to the City of New Orleans. Ryann Martinek, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Specialist at New Orleans Health Department, stated, "Efforts to improve sexual health outcomes need to be creative and connected to community to encourage testing and linkage to health care. Fortunately, in New Orleans, we are seeing a greater presence of sexual health resources at events, parades, second lines and college campuses and must continue to prioritize opportunities to meet people where they’re at with intentions to normalize routine testing."
HIV testing is recommended during the first trimester, between 28-32 weeks, and at delivery, but it's often missed, leading to tragic outcomes for newborns. HIV cases are rising among 15- to 19-year-olds and also in those aged 55-64. To help, the New Orleans Health Department supports regular testing and treatment, offering free At-Home HIV and Syphilis Test Kits through their Text-to-Test program. Residents can order a kit online or by texting TEST to (504) 788-2400, and it will be delivered to their door. These efforts are key to improving the City of New Orleans sexual health, but they depend on people taking action.
