Public Health: Dangerous trends

Seeing the rates of sexually transmitted diseases jump in the U.S. -- a country with such wealth, free media and access to education -- is dismaying and alarming.

The Associated Press reports that cases of chlamydia, congenital syphilis and even gonorrhea, which in 2004 seemed to be falling in transmissions, are all on the rise.

The reasons for the increase in those disease rates are varied and experts don't necessarily agree on them. It could be because of a shift in sexual behavior (as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims), or superbugs, as some doctors consider.

While experts put their minds to work on issues such as why chlamydia has reached an all-time high, we'd like to urge the federal government to restore funding for STD testing at clinics such as Planned Parenthood. The Family Planning Waiver was revised last year to remove coverage for STD screenings that aren't part of a patient's annual exam, because such screenings aren't considered part of family planning.

But consider that congenital syphilis, for example, can kill babies or cause a range of deformities. And chlamydia is linked to infertility -- or reduced fertility -- in men and women, and that about 75 percent of women infected with chlamydia show no symptoms at all. Any disease that affects one's reproductive system surely must be covered under family planning health care. Clearly, a public education campaign that goes beyond abstinence-only programs and better access to STD screenings -- especially for those who can't afford it -- is needed.