Less neighborhood specific, and more general local interest. DC is expanding its STD testing and putting it into every high school that is part of DCPS, or is a public charter school. Apparently the program, which is already in place in some schools, found an STD infection rate of 13% for 3,000 students tested last year. The majority of those infections were chlamydia and gonorrhea. Students choose whether or not to submit a sample for testing, and then must call a number to get the results. The city pays for treatment at the school, or a clinic.
The article also sites some other stats that will make your eyes pop out. For instance:
"In a 2007 study by the D.C. public school system, 60 percent of high school students and 30 percent of middle school students reported having had intercourse."
There is some discussion of programs in other cities. Apparently this one is very similar to the one in Philadelphia. The infection rate appears to be much lower in Philadelphia, so the program could probably have a much greater impact here.
4 comments:
Sorry to hijack this thrilling post on kiddie STD's, but Captiolspice has a great post up about DC Beer Week (Aug 16-22), a lot of which is going on right in our Hood:
http://capitalspice.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/dc-beer-week-map/#more-3111
I'm sure Congress will shut this plan down pronto.
name an urban issue, and D.C.'s got it in spades...sigh.
Anon 11:37, Congress shut the progrsm down? Did you miss the results of the last election?
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