WEST VIRGINIA: State Ranks Second in Hepatitis B Cases

[Guest guest]

CDC 05-07-09

WEST VIRGINIA: " State Ranks Second in Hepatitis B Cases "

Register-Herald (Beckley) (04.30.09):: Jackie Ayres

West Virginia ranks second in the nation for incident acute hepatitis B cases

per 100,000 population, and it has among the highest rates of chlamydia and

gonorrhea, according to the state Office of Epidemiology and Health Promotion.

The agency also reported a " significant increase " in syphilis cases.

On April 30, more than 100 school nurses, health teachers, and school-based

clinic workers attended a conference in Tamarack on building STD and pregnancy

prevention awareness among youths.

Figures for STDs and unplanned pregnancies among youths " are staggeringly high, "

Dr. Kirby, an expert in adolescent sexuality, told the conference. Among

adolescents ages 14-19, 26 percent have contracted at least one STD, and an

average of 7 percent of women ages 15-19 report unintentional pregnancies, he

said.

" Focusing upon behavior, and giving a clear message about behavior, are two of

the most important things, " Kirby said. Most youths have sex when they are of

high school age, he noted. " Typically, many youth stop using condoms when

they've had sex three times with the same partner, " he said. " They think they

know their partner. They trust their partner. They're more in love with their

partner, and so they stop using condoms. "

Sex and HIV education programs can curtail adolescent sexual debut by about

one-third, but our society is failing to communicate the risks of unprotected

sex to youths, Kirby said.

In response to high hepatitis rates, free testing for hepatitis B and C and

vaccinations against hepatitis A and B will be available from local health

departments in the following counties: Raleigh, Fayette, , Greenbrier,

Summers, Mercer, Monroe, and Wyoming.

The conference was sponsored by the state Department of Education, Raleigh

County Schools, and the Marshall University Technical Assistance and Evaluation

Center.

[Guest guest]

CDC 05-07-09

WEST VIRGINIA: " State Ranks Second in Hepatitis B Cases "

Register-Herald (Beckley) (04.30.09):: Jackie Ayres

West Virginia ranks second in the nation for incident acute hepatitis B cases

per 100,000 population, and it has among the highest rates of chlamydia and

gonorrhea, according to the state Office of Epidemiology and Health Promotion.

The agency also reported a " significant increase " in syphilis cases.

On April 30, more than 100 school nurses, health teachers, and school-based

clinic workers attended a conference in Tamarack on building STD and pregnancy

prevention awareness among youths.

Figures for STDs and unplanned pregnancies among youths " are staggeringly high, "

Dr. Kirby, an expert in adolescent sexuality, told the conference. Among

adolescents ages 14-19, 26 percent have contracted at least one STD, and an

average of 7 percent of women ages 15-19 report unintentional pregnancies, he

said.

" Focusing upon behavior, and giving a clear message about behavior, are two of

the most important things, " Kirby said. Most youths have sex when they are of

high school age, he noted. " Typically, many youth stop using condoms when

they've had sex three times with the same partner, " he said. " They think they

know their partner. They trust their partner. They're more in love with their

partner, and so they stop using condoms. "

Sex and HIV education programs can curtail adolescent sexual debut by about

one-third, but our society is failing to communicate the risks of unprotected

sex to youths, Kirby said.

In response to high hepatitis rates, free testing for hepatitis B and C and

vaccinations against hepatitis A and B will be available from local health

departments in the following counties: Raleigh, Fayette, , Greenbrier,

Summers, Mercer, Monroe, and Wyoming.

The conference was sponsored by the state Department of Education, Raleigh

County Schools, and the Marshall University Technical Assistance and Evaluation

Center.