Louisiana areas rank high in terms of STD prevalence

Recent reports indicate that there is a need for more sexual education among young Louisiana residents, since the state has an overall high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and young people account for a large proportion of these cases, according to an article published in the News Star.

The newspaper cited data from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, which showed that in 2009, the state had the third highest rate of new chlamydia diagnoses in the country, the second highest number of new gonorrhea cases and ranked first with the highest prevalence of syphilis. The news provider noted that the gonorrhea rate is double the national average.

Moreover, the Baton Rouge area ranked second in the nation in terms of AIDS cases, while New Orleans placed ninth.

The news source stated that although people between the ages of 15 and 24 make up only 15 percent of the state's population, they account for 71 percent of chlamydia cases.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 19 million Americans are diagnosed with an STD each year in the U.S.