A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows STI rates may be slowing. Arizona has also seen a decline in recent years.
Nationally, STIs fell by almost 2% from 2022 through 2023. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis make up the majority of cases.
According to figures posted on the Arizona Department of Health Services website, the number of cases for those infections fell by about 3% in the state for the same time period.
Nicole Witt is Assistant Director of Preparedness at AZDHS. She says education is key to preventing illness.
“It's making sure that individuals are informed so that they can take care of their own health and certainly follow those preventative measures that makes sense for them," Witt said.
Those measures included contraception, screenings and checkups with doctors.
"Arizona is one of many states that is really prioritizing that work and trying to look at where we can intervene from a public health perspective to start to positively change those numbers, whether it's information or getting better routine screening and testing and treatment," she said.
Witt says outcomes for patients improve when STIs are treated early, especially when they are receiving prenatal care.
