Chicago Public Schools To Launch Education, Treatment Program To Curb Chlamydia, Gonorrhea

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 01 Jul 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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The Chicago Public Schools system this year will launch a pilot program to provide students in grades 11 and 12 with voluntary education, testing and treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhea, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The Chicago Department of Public Health will administer the program at six Cook County, Ill., schools at no cost to the school system.

According to the Sun-Times, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2007 -- the most recent year available -- showed that Cook County had the second-highest number of reported chlamydia cases in the U.S. at 583 cases per 100,000 people, or 30,881 total cases. In addition, the county rated first in the nation for reported gonorrhea cases at 233 per 100,000 people, or 12,338 total cases.

Christopher Brown, assistant commissioner of the health department, said, "It's a very large problem with teens and adolescents in Chicago, and it's very, very important that they get the information about these sexually transmitted infections." He added, "Our goal is to get the information out to teens -- about how they're transmitted in particular -- and also that there's treatment available."

The six schools have yet to be selected, and they may opt not to participate if chosen, the Sun-Times reports. To qualify, schools must have their own health centers. Monique Bond, a spokesperson for CPS, said that the health centers will administer the testing and provide treatment to students with the STIs (Ihejirika, Chicago Sun-Times, 6/26).

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