Comments about ‘STD rates on the rise in parts of Salt Lake County’

Wow. 'Good' thing Waddups worked to deny HIV research grants to Utah, huh?

Guess how many teens in Utah had HIV in 2008? Just one.

Even though Chlamydia rates are rising, which is troubling, Gonorrhea rates have plummeted in the past three years. A similar focus on Chlamydia in non-school settings can help with that, too.

"leaving the burden of teaching children about sex to parents"

That's exactly where the burden should be. Once schools start teaching more about sex parents will feel even less of a burden to teach their own children, which is not what we want.

'Guess how many teens in Utah had HIV in 2008? Just one.' - 11:42 a.m.

Wait, JHP, are you trying to say that HIV research is not needed because 'just one' girl got it in 2008?

Obviously you haven't seen the 2,456 cases in Utah for 2009. Not new, but ongoing. You could find that at the 'Bureau of Communicable Disease Control's website. Which you can Google or find through the Utah Department of Health's webiste.

Granted the numbers have been going down, but let's not pretend they do not exist. That is lying. Perhaps the same generosity should be shown with other, terminal disease? Cancer, etc?

I will concede that parents should teach children about sex. And when they do 100% of the time, we can stop leaving education to public schools.

Until such time as every child in Utah is home-schooled, we hurt the childs chances at a better future by keeping them ignorant of the facts.

Let me guess why STD is higher in these areas; Rose Park, Glendale, Kearns, Midvale. Less education, more immigrants, parents working long hours to make ends meet. That's were the focus of education needs to go - people who are helping the immigrants get here and get housing now they can add sex education to the list.

maybe one day utahns will wake up and smell the roses: abstinence only teaching does not work.

@ex-mo joe - so if abstinence only doesn't work, why does Utah have almost the lowest pregnancy and STD rates of all 50 states? Yes, our numbers are rising, but are still very low compared to most other states.

I've got two teens, I always know where they are, and they think being sexually active at their ages is idiocy - let alone morally wrong. And yes, I taught them all about STDs, we've talked about contraception, etc. Studies show that parental communication of values and standards is the single most important factor in reducing sexual activity with teens. Start talking to your kids - and make the message clear and unambiguous.

It might well be noted that all crime rates are higher in these areas too. As well as the illegal immigrant population.

@Demisana - Though Utah may have one of the lower rates of pregnancy and STD's, that doesn't mean we can divert our attention. Even 1 case of HIV or any other STD is too much. If more and more are being infected with chlamydia, what's to say that we won't start seeing increases in the other diseases? They're each transmitted the same way.

Once again, all I can say is whether it is 1 case or 1000's, it's still too many. Parents, speak up. Even if your child seems to want to avoid the topic, talk anyway. They'll hear you. And let's not completely banish the discussion of being safe from school. If we're going to require health classes in school, I think this topic falls right within the scope of discussions.

*Be Educated *Be Safe *Get Tested

There is nothing in Utah law which prohibits health teachers from including instruction on sexually transmitted diseases in their classes. There is nothing in Utah law which prohibits health teachers from discussing ways in which their students can avoid contracting STDs. There are only two caveats. First, teachers must emphasize abstinence before marriage and fidelity after. Second, teachers are not allowed to discuss means or methods which violate state or federal law. Utah Code 53A-13-101.

More data please.

Does anyone have numbers to dispute the "one new HIV case" claim. If not, that is a total and complete success. Other rates are "increasing", but how do they compare to other communities?

Althought the obvious answer to the question "do you know where your children are 24/7" must be no. By the time my three year old daughter is twelve, technology will allow a different answer. A GPS tracking incorporated with her cell phone will allow us to have very clear conversations and arangements. That technology will allow us to provide guidance throughout the day, and will make many decisions much easier for her. Her defense statement will be "I can't, my dad will know I was there." I can call and say "you have been standing against that wall for too long, go and dance with the other kids." Imagine the conversation "you traveled over 40,000 miles last year", or "look at this, you walked five miles more than me this week."

My parents' best program was, "call if you won't be home before the street lights turn on."

'Does anyone have numbers to dispute the "one new HIV case" claim.' - 1:59 p.m.

Reply:
'Already this year, about 45 new HIV cases have been identified in Utah, compared to 91 for the entire year in 2007, according to the Utah Department of Health.' - Lynn Beltran, HIV and STD program manager for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.
The Daily Herald - May 31, 2008 - Utah Aids foundation website.

It appears the claim of 'one' for the year of 2008 was incorrect. But then again, what was the source?

That's right. None was given.

The claim of 'total and complete success' is false.

As for other communities, look it up yourself.

Floyd, your idea about GPS tracking with cell phones is good, but what's to say the kids won't leave them at the place they are supposed to be and leave?

'In Utah, the greatest increase in HIV is among young white men, Beltran said.' - same article

Perhaps Sarah Palin can come to Utah and explain how well abstinence only works.
(Live via satellite of course)

Just checked, the statistic is legit. In 2007, one new case of HIV among teenagers. About 100 new cases total.