Cutting STD funds leaves many New Yorkers untreated

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise in New York City, with the rates at their highest for individuals between 15 and 30, according to government reports. Recently, the city cut funding for free STD screenings, which has been causing a variety of problems in the area. The New York Daily News recently reported on how health service providers have been affected since this change has been implemented.

The news source states that since clinics have stopped offering free screenings, other healthcare professionals are seeing a rise in people coming to them for STD treatment. Many of these people are coming in with advanced symptoms and wanting to get medication immediately because they have waited so long to get tested. Often, these individuals cannot even afford the sliding-scale payment method offered by many organizations.

"High out-of-pocket expenses for uninsured patients wanting to get screened for the three most common STDs - chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea - often deter people from getting life-saving diagnoses and treatment," said Linda Prine, M.D., quoted by the news source.

The news provider mentioned that STD cases have increased in the city from 75,000 in 2008 to 82,000 in 2010. These numbers suggest that more needs to be done to help people gain access to testing services.