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Sexually Transmitted
Disease Section
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New Articles During March The
STD Section will continue to present highlights from the National STD Prevention Conference.
April is STD
Awareness Month, will be posting information, calendars of events and awareness puzzles. Stay Tuned to your STD Section
Public Health Leaders Gather at National STD Prevention Conference
to Address Heavy Toll of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Focus on Disproportionate Burden among Women, African-Americans,
Gay and Bisexual Men
More than 750 public health leaders will convene in Atlanta today for the 2010 National STD Prevention
Conference, the only conference focused exclusively on reducing the burden of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the
United States. The three-day conference will feature more than 300 new studies, including a CDC analysis finding continued
high rates of herpes (HSV-2) in the United States, particularly among women and African-Americans. CDC will also release the
results of a new analysis of HIV and syphilis rates among gay and bisexual men.
"As the studies presented
at this conference show, the disparities in STD rates among women, African-Americans, and gay and bisexual men remain stark,"
said Kevin Fenton, M.D., director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. "Given
everything we know about how to prevent, diagnose and treat STDs, it is unacceptable that STDs remain such a widespread public
health problem in the United States today."
Several studies presented at the conference provide additional
evidence of what works to reduce the spread of STDs, including retesting for chlamydia after initial treatment to monitor
for repeat infections, and expedited partner therapy – a clinical practice that allows health care providers to provide
treatment to sexual partners of those diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea without giving them a full medical exam.
Other studies provide new insights into socioeconomic and other factors that contribute to STD disparities, including lack
of access to health care, racial discrimination, and misinformation about STDs.
"We have a better understanding
than ever of the reasons for STD disparities," said John M. Douglas, Jr., M.D., director of CDC's Division of STD Prevention.
"It's critical that we address the root causes of this problem because it is affecting our most vulnerable populations.
We must use insights gained through research and conferences like this to guide the development of STD prevention programs."
Conference keynote speakers, including Thomas Frieden, M.D., director of CDC, and William Foege, M.D., senior fellow
of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carter Center, will discuss the future of STD prevention at a time when
severely limited resources at all levels have taken a heavy toll on the nation's public health infrastructure.
"It
is clear that public programs alone won't be able to dramatically reduce STD rates. Everyone must be involved in the solution,"
said Douglas. "We need to collaborate with the private sector to expand public awareness, increase the role of private
health care providers in STD screening and treatment, and encourage open discussions about sexual health within our families
and communities to reduce the stigma of STDs."
CDC estimates that there are 19 million new STD infections
every year, making STDs the most commonly reported infectious diseases in the United States. STDs are estimated to cost the
U.S. health care system about $16 billion annually, and can cause serious long-term health consequences. Left untreated, STDs
such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to infertility, and many STDs increase the risk of HIV infection.
###
CDC Study Finds U.S. Herpes Rates Remain High
1 in 6
Americans Infected; Highest Prevalence among Women and African-Americans
About 1 in 6 Americans (16.2 percent) between
the ages of 14 and 49 is infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), according to a national health survey released
today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HSV-2 is a lifelong and incurable infection that can cause recurrent
and painful genital sores.
The findings, presented at the 2010 National STD Prevention Conference, indicate that
herpes remains one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States.
The new estimate,
for 2005-2008, comes from CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative survey
of the U.S. household population that assesses a broad range of health issues.
The findings suggest relatively
stable HSV-2 prevalence since CDC's last national estimate (17 percent for 1999-2004), because the slight decline in prevalence
between the two time periods is not statistically significant.
The study finds that women and blacks were most
likely to be infected. HSV-2 prevalence was nearly twice as high among women (20.9 percent) than men (11.5 percent), and was
more than three times higher among blacks (39.2 percent) than whites (12.3 percent). The most affected group was black women,
with a prevalence rate of 48 percent.
As with other STDs, biological factors may make women more susceptible to
HSV-2 infection. Additionally, racial disparities in HSV-2 infection are likely perpetuated because of the higher prevalence
of infection within African-American communities, placing African-Americans at greater risk of being exposed to herpes with
any given sexual encounter.
"This study serves as a stark reminder that herpes remains a common and serious
health threat in the United States. Everyone should be aware of the symptoms, risk factors, and steps that can be taken to
prevent the spread of this lifelong and incurable infection," said Kevin Fenton, M.D., director of CDC's National Center
for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. "We are particularly concerned about persistent high rates of
herpes among African-Americans, which is likely contributing to disproportionate rates of HIV in the black community."
Research shows that people with herpes are two to three times more likely to acquire HIV, and that herpes can also
make HIV-infected individuals more likely to transmit HIV to others. CDC estimates that over 80 percent of those with HSV-2
are unaware of their infection. Symptoms may be absent, mild, or mistaken for another condition. And people with HSV-2 can
transmit the virus even when they have no visible sores or other symptoms.
"Many individuals are transmitting
herpes to others without even knowing it," said John M. Douglas, Jr., M.D., director of CDC's Division of STD Prevention.
"We can't afford to be complacent about this disease. It is important that persons with symptoms suggestive of herpes—especially
recurrent sores in the genital area—seek clinical care to determine if these symptoms may be due to herpes and might
benefit from treatment."
Combination of Prevention Approaches Needed to Reduce National Herpes Rates
Although
HSV-2 infection is not curable, there are effective medications available to treat symptoms and prevent outbreaks. Those with
known herpes infection should avoid sex when herpes symptoms or sores are present and understand that HSV-2 can still be transmitted
when sores are not present. Effective strategies to reduce the risk of HSV-2 infection include abstaining from sexual contact,
using condoms consistently and correctly, and limiting the number of sex partners.
CDC does not recommend HSV-2
screening for the general population. However, such testing may be useful for individuals who are unsure of their status and
at high risk for the disease, including those with multiple sex partners, those who are HIV-positive, and gay and bisexual
men.
###
New Studies Explore Reasons for Heavy STD Burden Among Women
and Minorities
Four studies presented at the National STD Prevention Conference provide new insight into the socioeconomic
and other barriers to STD prevention and treatment. Understanding and addressing the factors that contribute to heavy disparities
in STD rates – especially among African-Americans and women – is critical to reducing the national burden of STDs.
Blacks represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, yet account for almost half of all reported chlamydia and syphilis
cases, more than 70 percent of all reported gonorrhea cases, and almost half of new HIV infections. In addition, new CDC data
show that one in five women (21 percent) is infected with herpes (HSV-2), as are more than one-third of blacks overall (39.2
percent) and almost half of black women (48 percent).
Following is a summary of study findings on barriers to STD
prevention/treatment:
Women of all Races
- Stigma and Misinformation about STD Testing: To understand
why many young women do not get tested for STDs, Heather Royer of the University of Wisconsin-Madison examined young women’s
beliefs about STD testing and their knowledge of the testing process. Royer surveyed 302 women ages 18-24 who visited local
health clinics (n=201) or were enrolled in an undergraduate communications class (n=101) at the university. The study identified
several common barriers to STD testing. The vast majority of women said they would be uncomfortable seeking STD testing from
a male health care provider (88 percent) and would be more comfortable seeking STD testing from a specialist rather than a
family doctor (79 percent). In addition, almost two-thirds of the women reported anxiety about testing (62 percent), and one-third
reported concern about STD results appearing in their medical records (31 percent). The women also had significant misperceptions
about STD testing. Despite the fact that various tests are required to screen for different STDs, 40 percent of women expected
to be tested for eight STDs when they asked their provider for STD testing. While a diagnostic test is often required to detect
chlamydia and gonorrhea, one-third believed that these infections could be diagnosed solely by visual inspection (32 percent
and 35 percent, respectively); and one-quarter thought that a Pap smear could detect chlamydia and gonorrhea (26 percent and
23 percent, respectively).
- In addition, women who reported being embarrassed to talk about sex with their providers
or complete questionnaires about their sexual history were twice as likely as others to have never been tested for STDs. The
study author encourages health care providers to incorporate discussion of sexual health into routine medical care for young
women to reduce stigma about STDs and ensure appropriate testing.
- African-American Men and Women
- Physician
Discomfort Talking about Sex: Data show that black men, especially black gay and bisexual men, are disproportionately affected
by HIV and other STDs, yet many are not tested during routine medical visits. To better understand the barriers to HIV and
STD testing, the National Medical Association (NMA) – the leading professional organization of doctors of color –
was funded by CDC to increase awareness and education among its physician members regarding CDC’s routine HIV testing
recommendations, which call for all Americans ages 13-64 to be tested for HIV. NMA physicians collaborated with CDC to conduct
a series of 14 sessions at NMA national and regional meetings from 2006 to 2009 with more than 6,000 physician members. NMA
found that over half of the physicians who attended the routine HIV testing training sessions were reluctant to initiate sexual
health discussions, particularly with their black male patients, as a transition to offering an HIV test. The main reasons
for the hesitancy to discuss sex included concerns about sexual health not being the main reason for the clinical visit and
not being comfortable engaging in a sexual health dialogue. In response, CDC and the NMA have developed a simple tool to facilitate
and standardize routine sexual history discussions with black male patients, which is currently being pilot-tested by NMA
physicians in 10 U.S. cities with high HIV and STD prevalence.
- Racial Discrimination: A study led by CDC’s Puja
Seth finds an association between sexual risk behavior and experiences of racial discrimination among young black women. Researchers
surveyed 848 black women (ages 18-29) visiting Kaiser Permanente health facilities in Atlanta from October 2002 through March
2006. The women completed a computer-assisted interview in which they ranked their experiences of lifetime racial discrimination
using a standard survey, and provided information about their recent sexual behavior. The study found that African-American
women who reported higher levels of racial discrimination (more than four incidents) were significantly more likely to report
engaging in riskier sexual behaviors, including multiple sexual partners during the past year and past six months, having
an abusive or risky sexual partner, less frequent communication about sex with their partners, and barriers to condom use.
- Poverty
and Access to Health Care: Many urban STD clinics serve predominantly low-income and African-American populations, and face
greater demand for same-day services than they have the capacity to provide. To better understand the characteristics of the
population not receiving needed STD services, Leslie Prince of the University of Illinois at Chicago and colleagues surveyed
patients (n=76) who were turned away from four Chicago STD clinics in September 2009. The majority of participants (67 percent)
were African-American, reflecting the overall racial composition of the clinics’ patient population, and almost half
(45 percent) reported current STD symptoms. The analysis found that almost half of those turned away had no income (45 percent),
and most had no insurance (70 percent) and no regular doctor (82 percent). Fifteen percent of respondents reported being turned
away from an STD clinic in the past. The majority (57 percent) planned to return to the same clinic the next day because they
had no other options for care. To help reduce patient turnaways, the Chicago STD clinics are implementing procedures such
as a fast-track option for STD testing and referral agreements with other local community clinics. However, the authors note
that additional resources are urgently needed for public STD clinics to ensure adequate support for serving at-risk patients
who have no other options for care.
CDC
Director’s Recognition Award
Congratulations
to Rachel Kachur, from DSTDP, winner of the Director’s Recognition Award for March. Rachel wrote national guidance for
Internet-based prevention services, comprising outreach, communications, and partner services (applicable to STD and HIV).
Most important is the positive reaction of the STD and HIV prevention fields to the guidance, hosted on the National Coalition
of STD Directors web site. Staff of DHAP’s Prevention Program Branch cited the Internet outreach guidelines as extremely
helpful for the state and local health departments, as well as directly funded CBOs.
Rachel also delivered technical assistance on Internet communications via a plenary at
the Florida Public Health Association Annual Education Conference. Several people indicated how well-received the presentation
was, and how people expected to make use of it. Attendees at the DASH Partners’ meeting were highly complementary, sharing
strategies for applying these lessons in their own programs. Some had already identified specific plans as a result of the
talk.
In view of the extensive impact of her
work, I award Rachel Kachur the March Director’s Recognition Award.
In
closing, I hope to see many of you at the 2010 National STD Prevention Conference next week. It promises to be an informative
and stimulating few days. This year, we invite you to participate in conference conversations live via Twitter. If you are
familiar with this exciting new communication channel, use #stdconf10 to join in. If you would like more information on Twitter,
please visit AIDS.gov for some Twitter 101.
Sincerely,
Kevin Fenton, M.D., Ph.D., F.F.P.H.
Director
National
Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
http://nchhstp/
ASHA Recognizes February as National Condom Month
RTP,
NC – As Cupid takes flight this month the American Social Health Association (ASHA) wants lovers everywhere to be
smart and be safe. To that end, ASHA recognizes February as National Condom Month 2010. Over 19 million new cases of sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) occur in the U.S. each year, but many have no symptoms and go undetected. While condoms don’t
offer 100% protection against STIs, the evidence is overwhelming that among those who are sexually active, consistent and
correct condom use greatly reduces the risk of contracting infections like HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. Research has also
shown that young women whose male partners use condoms regularly cut their risk of acquiring HPV significantly.
Lynn B.
Barclay, ASHA president and CEO, says people don’t practice safer sex for a variety of reasons: “People think
they aren’t at risk because they have few partners, they don’t notice any obvious signs, or because STIs only
happen to ‘other people.’ The reality is anyone who has sex can be at risk, regardless of age or background.
Safer sex is important for all of us.” Reluctant partners are another reason people don’t always use condoms.
“One of the biggest reported hurdles to safer sex is negotiating condom use with partners,” Barclay says. “There
may be pressure to have unprotected sex ‘just this once,’ or maybe a partner will complain that it doesn't feel
the same with a condom. ASHA's web site has a section with tips on talking with partners who are reluctant to practice safer
sex.” Barclay adds that female condoms are an excellent alternative when a male partner can't or won't use a condom.
In recognition
of National Condom Month,
check out these ASHA resources: The American Social Health Association (ASHA) is a not-for-profit organization
founded in 1914 to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities, with a focus on educating about and preventing
sexually transmitted infections. ASHA's educational web sites include: www.ASHAstd.org , www.iwannaknow.org (teen site), and www.quierosaber.org (Spanish language teen site). Archived
Articles “The Numbers Are In from 2008, And It’s Not A Pretty Picture!”
By Lori
Jordahl MBA –HA, Miami Dade County Health Department
“STDs” continue to soar not only throughout
the U.S. but in you, your friends, families, co-workers and/or neighbors.
Statistics give us some of the picture,
but many persons infected with STD’s and HIV may never know and unwillingly spread their infections. And then there
are those that do know and will never inform their partners themselves, or anonymously through the health department DIS or
by e-cards like www.inSpot.org. So the message here is “GET TESTED, GET TREATED, and INFORM YOUR PARTNERS!”
Speaking of a “Pretty Picture”, many persons have no signs, symptoms and/or may have not recognized what
they were. So…”What you see may not be what you get”! Signs and symptoms may include: sores or rashes,
dripping or discharge, swelling or tenderness, burning or pain and/or smells. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are easily
treated and cured. If your partners haven’t been treated you can easily be re-infected. Left untreated STDs can cause
many health problems, both now and in the future.
Adolescent girls 15 to 19 years had the most chlamydia and gonorrhea
cases of any age group in the U.S. “ Every 8 minutes a person between the ages of 15 and 24 was diagnosed with an STD
and, every 4 minutes was exposed to an STD in Florida.”
Florida ranked #25 for chlamydia and
four of our Counties ranked in the top 30 of all counties across the nation. These are:
#21 Miami-Dade #26
Broward #29 Hillsborough #30 Duval
Florida ranked #17 for gonorrhea and the same four
counties were in the top 30 of all counties across the nation. These are:
#16 Duval #23 Broward
#27 Miami-Dade #30 Hillsborough
Florida ranked #11 for infectious syphilis and four of our Counties
ranked in the top 32 of all counties across the nation. These are:
#9 Miami-Dade #10 Broward
#27 Hillsborough #32 Duval
So by now, you are getting the picture and it’s not pretty! There
are “many ways” to make your personal picture beautiful and help others with theirs.
NOW IT’S YOUR
TURN!
To more information and to/or to find a local STD Clinic
www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/std/index.html STD Section News
By Lori Jordahl The STD Section really shined during this years’
Annual Education Conference (AEC). Despite the low turnout of Section members (due to travel and budget restrictions), the
work we did during the year was highlighted. The
STD Section took the lead on the FPHA Strategic
Plan Objective 1.1: Lead an initiative to improve sexual health
related
indicators. We were able to receive grant money from APHA and hired Sara Henneberger, MPH Student at the University
of Florida. She put together 2 comprehensive reports: 1. Sexual and Reproductive Health Indicator Report 2. Evidence-based Best Practices Report A poster and 2 page summary was unveiled at the Poster Session. These will be available on the website. We need your feedback on the value of these reports
and how you were able to use them. This will help FPHA as an evaluation tool and demonstrate to APHA that we made excellent
use of their grant monies and apply for more. Furthermore,
we are in the process of writing an article based on this research and also submitting an abstract for a poster session to
the 2010 National STD Conference and 2010 APHA Conference. The STD Section invited Rachel Kachur, MPH. from the CDC; Behavioral Interventions & Research Branch, Division
of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention to open the conference with an excellent
general session “Public Health & Technology: An Overview of Popular Technologies
and How We Can Adopt Them for Prevention Efforts” and later that afternoon Rachel presented an excellent workshop “Sex
and Technology”. View the “Public Health and Technology” slides on the FPHA Website (more reasons
to keep checking the website). Rachel’s presentations were the talk of the conference! It is amazing the levels of technology that are available
but restricted for use by many organizations. There were many conversations related to this subject during the entire conference
with plans to engage our leaders in adopting more technology for prevention efforts. Our Surgeon General attended the FPHA
Board Meeting on Friday afternoon and heard from many of us on this topic. She agreed to have staff explore options for DOH.
Above are examples of how the STD Section puts words into
actions. We need your participation to continue this momentum! Lori Jordahl and Diana King are your STD Section Co – Chairs. If you would like to be Secretary, Open Board
Member or head up a committee for our Section please contact Lori or Diana. You can find us on the FPHA webpage.
April is STD Awareness Month: Test, Talk, and Treat to Prevent the Spread of STDs
The Florida Department of Health, Bureau of STD Prevention and Control, and local county
health departments join the Nation to observe Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Month during the month of April.
STDs pose a serious public health threat to Americans – particularly young women, African Americans, men who have sex
with men (MSM), and individuals living in poverty or who have limited access to healthcare. STDs include human papillomavirus
(HPV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis and HIV. These diseases continue to be the most commonly reported infectious
diseases in the nation.
Approximately 19 million
new sexually transmitted infections occur every year in the United States – and almost half of these are among young
people aged 15 to 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most STDs are easily diagnosed and
treated, but they often have no symptoms or go undetected. Bacterial STDs, specifically chlamydia and gonorrhea, can lead
to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which increases the risk for infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Viral STDs like herpes
simplex virus, for which there is no cure, have a life long impact on physical, psychological, and emotional health.
For the year 2008, Florida provisionally reported nearly
97,000 cases of sexually transmitted infections. Approximately 66 percent (64,129) of the cases occurred among individuals
between the ages of 15-24. Additionally, during 2008, roughly 10,800 maternal records where created where the mother
was identified as infected with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. For the same period, 43 infants with an age less than one
year were diagnosed with an STD. STD related consequences may be avoided through education, early detection, and proper treatment.
The 2009 STD Awareness Campaign presents 3T’s to prevent the spread of STDs: Talk, Test, and Treat.
The goal of the 2009 campaign is to deliver statewide cohesive
sexual health behavioral change messages primarily to adolescents, young adults, and minority at-risk groups in order to promote
responsible sexual behaviors and reduce the incidence of STDs.
The
theme for the 2009 STD Awareness Month campaign is 3T’s– Talk, Test, and Treat. The 3 T’s represent key
behaviors individuals need to practice in order to protect themselves and their partners from STDs.
Talk
o
Talk early (open the doors of communication before engaging in sex)
o
Talk often (share your familial, community, and cultural norms)
o
Talk to professionals (clinicians, educators, specialists, and other health care representatives and providers)
Test
o
Make an appointment for STD testing with your healthcare provider or contact your local county health department
Treat
o
Treat the disease to avoid more health problems
 Presentations, exhibits, video showings, material distribution, and screening events are planned statewide to help Floridians
make informed decisions about involvement in STD prevention and treatment services. Health promotion and disease prevention
efforts to improve STD knowledge, increase utilization of screening services, and provide treatment have grown significantly
over the past two decades; let us continue to move forward.
For
more information about STDs, please visit the Bureau of STD Prevention and Control’s website at www.floridadiseasecontrol.com/std.
Inspirational Video Newsletters
Click on the images below to get the full newsletter. Archived
December 2008   The Miami – Dade and Broward County Health Department STD and HIV Programs, FPHA STD and HIV Section members community
partners and local celebrities joined Hispanic AIDS Awareness with their 2nd annual radio marathon. SBS Radio, Javier Ceriani,
host of Zona Cero, Romance 106.7 FM hosted the on air marathon from 6:00 am to 10:00 am on December 1, 2008 from locations
in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Education and screening was also available at both locations. Picture 1 –
FPHA members Esther Tellechea, Michelle Brewer and Lori Jordahl with on air personality Javier Cerani and crew Picture
2 – Spanish Soap Opera star Christina Betancourt demonstrating and discussing on air how to correctly use a condom
Summer 2008
Trojan Condom Company ranks Colleges and Universities on Sexual
Health. See where Florida campuses ranked and a new story from CNN about inSpot.
E – Health Cards  When you send a card to a friend or family member, is it though email – or regular mail? Do you send cards for birthdays,
anniversaries, get well, encouragement cards and/or the “I love you” cards?
Well now you have more options with E – Health
Cards. The CDC sponsors this site to bring prevention and education information. STD Awareness is just one of the topics.
This is a sample card cover. You can view and send cards by clicking on this link http://www2a.cdc.gov/eCards/index.asp. Membership Co-Chairs
Lena Chatmon - Palm Beach County Health Dept STD Program
Pete Starling - Bureau of STD, Tallahassee
AEC Liaison - Serenia Becton Page - Palm Beach County Health Dept STD
Program
Legislative
Liaison - Michelle Brewer - EMS, Miami
Adolescent
Sexual Health - Kenia Sanchez - U of Miami, Adolescent Medicine
Tommy
Chandler Mentorship - Tommy Chandler, Duval County Health Dept STD Program
Medical, epi - Dr. Toye Brewer, CDC
Reginal
Meeting North Florida - Anna Thompson, Leon County Health Dept STD Program
STD Awareness Resources and Bureau of STD Liaison - Sherese
Bleechington - Tallahassee
Fundraising - Sandra White, Bureau of STD
Socials
- Chris Bischoff
During the STD Business Meeting at the Conference, STD Awards and Recognition were given out. The Tommy Chandler Award for outstanding Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS)in Florida went to Samuel Frimpong (photo-top
right), DIS in Duval County Runners Up were Jorge Hermida, DIS in Miami-Dade County Theresa Bowens (photo-bottom
right) DIS in Palm Beach County
The STD Special Recognition Award went to FPHA Board Member
Lynne Drawdy(photo-left side) for her active support, resources, grant writing and survey help. Lynne does the strategic plan for FPHA and was the first vocal advocate for a sexual health initiative. She was instrumental in helping to develop the initiative, write the APHA grant from which we were awarded $5000 and helped us put the sexual health survey out to members.
Recognition and thanks went to last years Section Officers and Board Members
Frances Pinero - Vice Chair
Miriam DelaLastra - Secretary
Lena
Chatmon - Membership
Sandra White - Fundraising
Chris Bischoff - Socials
This year
we are starting something new with the Tommy Chandler
Mentorship Committee. Over the years there have been numerous winners
and runners up who have never been given the opportunity to share their
gift with others. This committe will be tasked with coming up with TIPS
to be put on our website, and brainstorm ideas for future progamming
 The STD Section hosted 3 socials during the Conference. Socials are an
important part of networking and sharing of ideas besides putting a face
to those you may have talked to or have recieved correspondence from.
You never know what great spark of imagination can turn into a doable
plan and action... As our President Frank Meyers always quotes
Prevention
is the Answer...Now, what was the question?
Monday
night was for STD Managers and STD Section members
(photo-bottom right)
Tuesday night was for
FPHA Board Members
Wednesday night we had over 125
guests for our BIG STD SOCIAL
The Conference and Pre Conference STD Managers had something for everyone. Professional, personal and a mixture of both! Check back
later for copies of some of the program materials and
slides.
Lori Jordahl STD Section Chair is the Champion for the FPHA Strategic Plan Objective 1.1 Lead an initiative to improve sexual health related indicators. If you are interested in getting involved, share your thoughts on the subject or send information we could use, please contact her at Lori_jordahl@doh.state.fl.us or her personal email
Lorijor@aol.com Resource Links Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Trensgender
Health
This series of Web pages address the health concerns of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgendered people.
www.metrokc.gov/health/glbt GLBT Health Access Project
The GLBT HAP is a collaborative, community-based program fostering
the development and implementation of comprehensive, culturally appropriate, high quality health promotion policies and health
care services for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their families.
www.glbthealth.org Lesbian Health Research Center
The Lesbian Health Research Center at the University of
California, San Francisco, seeks to enhance clinical practice and inform policy about the health care needs of and delivery
of services to lesbians, bisexual women, and transgendered individuals.
www.lesbianhealthinfo.org MEDLINEplus: Gay/Lesbian Health
This site contains new information and resources on gay
and lesbian health, from the National Institutes of Health.
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gaylesbianhealth.html NALGAP: the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Addiction Professionals
A membership
organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of alcoholism, substance abuse and other addictions in lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender
communities.
www.nalgap.org The National Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health
This organization
is committed to improving the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and communities
through public education, coalition building and advocacy that focuses on research, policy, education and training.
www.lgbthealth.net Queer Resources Directory: Health
This online directory features a spectrum of information
regarding gay/lesbian/bisexual health issues.
www.qrd.org/qrd/health The STD Section has just announced
its new officers for the 2008-09 year
Chair - Lori Jordahl, MBA-HA
Miami
Dade County Health Dept STD Program
(305)325-3048
or cell (786)236-0122
Lori_jordahl@doh.state.fl.us.
or, Lorijor@aol.com. | Vice Chair - Diana King
Lee County Health
Dept STD Program
(239)461-6125
Dianal_king@doh.state.fl.us. | Secretary - Lorany Vazquez
Collier County Health Dept STD Program
(239)252-5365
Loranyj_Vazquez@doh.state.fl.us. | Member at Large - Ricardo Beato
Broward County Health Dept STD Program
(954)767-5088
Ricardor_Beato@doh.state.fl.us. |
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