By Katie Knapp
Omaha, NE – The Douglas County Health Department says more education and community awareness are needed to reduce the county's STD rates.
Douglas County Health Department Director Dr. Adi Pour says Chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and syphilis are the four most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases in the county. Douglas County's Chlamydia rate is 62 percent higher than the national average, and Dr. Pour says every zip code in the county has at least one Chlamydia infection. The gonorrhea rate is 38 percent higher than the national average. In both instances, Dr. Pour says 15 to 24 year olds have the highest number of STD cases.
Dr. Richard Brown, CEO of Omaha's Charles Drew Health Clinic, says STDs aren't a poor black community problem, but an entire community problem. He says political and financial help is needed to fight STDs in Douglas County.
Dr. Pour says more people are being tested for sexually transmitted diseases now that a second STD clinic is open. But she says it isn't enough, and further action is needed.