Apparently it's really easy to find and not far to drive!
https://wjla.com/news/local/baltimore-dc-20-us-cities-highest-std-rates
Baltimore has the highest rate of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) in the U.S. and D.C. isn't far behind, according to a new study.
The Innerbody study breaks down the top 100 cities with the highest STD rates, and Baltimore and D.C. both made the top 20.
Baltimore, America's #1 city with the highest STD rates, reportedly has the following STD cases:
HIV -207
Gonorrhea - 4,231
Chlamydia - 7,636
Syphilis - 210
Washington D.C. is #17 on the list of cities with the highest STD rates, behind other cities like New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco. According to Innerbody, D.C. has the following STD cases:
HIV - 630
Gonorrhea - 6,803
Chlamydia - 17,480
Syphilis - 426
In the U.S. in 2018, there were more than 115,000 syphilis cases, over 580,000 Gonorrhea cases, and more than 1.7 million Chlamydia cases, according to the annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC attributes the following factors to the rise of STDs in the U.S.:
Drug use, poverty, stigma, and unstable housing, which can reduce access to STD prevention and care
Decreased condom use among vulnerable groups, including young people, negroes and gay and bisexual men
Cuts to STD programs at the state and local level – in recent years, more than half of local programs have experienced budget cuts, resulting in clinic closures, reduced screening, staff loss, and reduced patient follow-up and linkage to care services