These 4 Ohio cities have some of the highest STD rates in the country, study says
Of all the major cities in the U.S., Cleveland, Ohio, has one of the highest sexually transmitted disease rates (STD), according to a recent study by Innerbody.
In fact, Cleveland just barely made it out of the top 10, as it was ranked at number 11 out of 100 U.S. cities. The city rose 14 spots on the list in a matter of a year.
According to the study, Cleveland has 1,038 STD cases per 100,000 residents, beating out cities like Miami (987 cases per 100k residents), Indianapolis (950 cases per 100k residents), and Richmond (936 cases per 100k residents).
Cleveland is the 28th largest metropolitan area in the country, according to the World Population Review. However, it isn’t the only Ohio city that made the study’s list of metropolitan areas with the highest STD rates in America.
Ohio has three cities in the top 50 and four in the top 100 U.S. cities with the highest STD rates.
What other Ohio cities made the list?
According to the study by Innerbody, these Ohio cities have high rates of reported STDs:
- Dayton was ranked 36th out of 100 with 851 STD cases per 100,000 residents. Dayton also showed 53 HIV cases.
- Akron ranked 38th out of 100. The data showed that Akron has 833 STD cases per 100,000 residents and 5 HIV cases.
- Cincinnati also made the list and ranked 56th out of 100. Cincinnati had 793 STD cases per 100,000 residents and 175 HIV cases.
Why? That’s a difficult question to answer, although a variety of data and studies give researchers a grasp on potential factors.
Incarceration rates, military bases and the number of residents without health insurance all play a role in increased STD rates, studies and health experts suggest.
Here’s how the study found the cities with the highest STD rates:
The data from Innerbody’s report comes primarily from the CDC’s latest data releases regarding statistics for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Herpes was not included in the CDC’s data release, so it was not included in Innerbody’s study.
CDC’s data releases can be found online.
Other data relating to population estimates in metropolitan areas and states in the U.S. were found by looking at the U.S. Census Bureau reports.
Here’s what else the study found:
Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis top the list of most commonly reported new STD infections.
California contributed 13 cities to our rankings this year — the most from any state.
Three of the Top 25 cities are located in Florida.
Seventeen of the Top 25 cities with the highest STD rates are located in states with healthcare spending below the national average of $10,191 per capita.
New York improved 19 spots; however, cities such as Norfolk, Virginia, and Columbia, South Carolina, saw some of the biggest downward movements on the list.
Keep in mind
STD transmission rates can be lowered by following these steps outlined by the CDC:
Wear a condom correctly every time you have sex
Limit sexual partners and discuss exclusivity with your partner
Get vaccinated against HPV
Have discussions about STDs with partners
Get tested
The top 50 U.S cities on the list are:
Memphis, Tennessee
Jackson, Mississippi
Columbia, South Carolina
Baltimore, Maryland
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
New Orleans, Louisiana
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Little Rock, Arkansas
Washington, D.C.
Norfolk, Virginia
Cleveland, Ohio
Greensboro, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
San Francisco, California
Jacksonville, Florida
Miami, Florida
St. Louis, Missouri
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Indianapolis, Indiana
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Richmond, Virginia
Rochester, New York
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Greenville, South Carolina
New York, New York
Columbus, Georgia
Des Moines, Iowa
Phoenix, Arizona
Mobile, Alabama
Tacoma, Washington
Birmingham, Alabama
Los Angeles, California
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Bakersfield, California
Dayton, Ohio
San Antonio, Texas
Akron, Ohio
Nashville, Tennessee
Omaha, Nebraska
Chicago, Illinois
Atlanta, Georgia
Buffalo, New York
Detroit, Michigan
Fresno, California
Cincinnati, Ohio
Colorado Springs, Colorado
San Diego, California
Austin, Texas
Dallas, Texas
To view the full study, go to Innerbody’s website.
What do you think of this study? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com
This story was originally published October 19, 2023 at 11:08 AM with the headline "These 4 Ohio cities have some of the highest STD rates in the country, study says."
