Washington, D.C., Wins V.D. Triple Crown--Leads Nation in Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Rates

cns news ^ | November 17, 2009 | Pete Winn

[Mount Athos]

Washington, D.C., had the dubious distinction of beating all 50 states to post the highest rates in the nation for the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, according to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

The District of Columbia had a Chlamydia rate of 1,177 cases per 100,000 people--almost three times the rate of its neighbors, Virginia (405) and Maryland (439).

Mississippi was a distant second, at 728 cases per 100,000 people.

By comparison, California’s rate was 407 cases per 100,000; New York came in at 458; New Mexico at 470; Utah at 377 and Maine’s rate was a mere 198 per 100,000.

For gonorrhea, D.C.’s rate was 451.5 cases per 100,000--almost twice that of second-ranking Mississippi (256.8); more than three times the rate of its neighbors Virginia (134) and Maryland (118); more than 13 times the rate of Oregon (32.5) and more than 25 times the rate of Utah (18).

Other state rates for gonorrhea include: 160.9 for Illinois; 134 for Texas and 88.7 for New York.

D.C.’s nation-leading syphilis rate of 24.8 cases (including both primary and secondary syphilis) per 100,000 dwarfed second-place Louisiana's 16.5 per 100,000 rate and third-place Alabama’s rate of 9.7 per 100,000. It and was nearly four times the rate of Maryland (6.7).

By comparison, the syphilis rate was 6.3 per 100,000 for New York; 6.0 for California; 4.3 for Illinois; 3.4 for Virginia and 0.05 for Iowa.

The CDC report is based on 2007 surveillance statistics, updated in 2008 and released Monday.

[a fool in paradise]

‘Phyllis, ‘Rhea, and who?!!!

[Uncle Miltie]

D.C. is the BOHICA capital of the world, doncha know.

[mrsmel]

And can anyone guess what two places as disparate as Mississippi and DC have in common? (Hint-it’s also the reason why they have the highest rates of obesity)

[Mount Athos]

poverty?

[matt1234]

Bush’s Fault!

[SeaHawkFan]

And that just on Capital Hill!!

It's probably higher on Capitol Hill.

[sjmjax]

“They also lead in mental disorders.”

Explains a lot, doesn’t it!

[mrsmel]

Well that too. But the thing which skews statistics is the high ratio of blacks per population, which is also the demographic with the highest rates of obesity, STDs, and poverty. Mississippi has the highest ratio of blacks per capita of any state in the Union, which is a definite factor in Mississippi’s poor showing in placement regarding negative statistics.

Many people don’t know that before the civil war, Mississippi was one of, if not the richest state in the Union.

[VoiceOfBruck]

highest AIDS rate too

[VoiceOfBruck]

highest AIDS rate too

[benewton]

My problem is that they’re in the process of screwing us, so, in addition to the financial bull, I’ve also got to deal with STD’s?

I guess it’s about time to deplete the savings for another K of 7.62x51.

[MplsSteve]

When they refer to “Washington DC”, do they mean members of Congress or the general population?

I’m thinking they mean both.

[mickey finn]

Why does it hurt when I pee?

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

NO SURPRISES HERE....PING!!!!

[Slings and Arrows]

San Francisco will be SO disappointed!

[al baby]

the trifected

[SunkenCiv]

Clinton’s a shoo-in for the Nobel Piece Prize.

[al baby]

Ask Josh Ramsey

[COBOL2Java]

This thread would not be complete without some quotes from Former-Mayor-for-Life Marion Barry...

• "If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate."
• "First, it was not a strip bar, it was an erotic club. And second, what can I say? I'm a night owl."
• "I am clearly more popular than Reagan. I am in my third term. Where's Reagan? Gone after two! Defeated by George Bush and Michael Dukakis no less."
• "The brave men who died in Vietnam, more than 100% of which were black, were the ultimate sacrifice."
• "I am a great mayor; I am an upstanding Christian man; I am an intelligent man; I am a deeply educated man; I am a humble man."
• "I read a funny story about how the Republicans freed the slaves. The Republicans are the ones who created slavery by law in the 1600's. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and he was not a Republican."

And of course, there is the immortal: "Bitch set me up."

[Slings and Arrows]

Very good!