Need Help With STD Statistics and Links

[Vogon_Glory]

I REALLY could use some help with some on-line arguments I'm having with social conservative reactionaries. Could somebody PLEASE provide me with RELIABLE and TRUSTWORTHY links showing STD infection rates by state for the last decade or so. Nationwide US STD rates DON'T cut it--I need the rates by STATE so I can shoot holes in "abstinence-only" sex ed arguments put forth by xouthern-friend conservatives.

Also RELIABLE marriage and divorce rates by STATE would also be very, very helpful. I am trying to prove that Bible Belt divorce rates are higher than those in many so-called Blue states.

Thanks for your help in advance!

[cosmik debris]

1. Does this help?

The Lubbock , TX and San Antonio , TX health departments have offered similar advice to school districts after watching consistently high STD numbers. Health officials in both localities are encouraging more comprehensive sexuality education programming in schools.

For ten years running, Lubbock has recorded the highest number of Chlamydia and gonorrhea infections in the nation and 36% of the cases are in 15–19 year-olds.6 Health department officials say the public schools are not talking enough about STDs.7

Texas law requires an abstinence-only-until-marriage approach in all sexuality education classes, but the community of Lubbock has been engaged in a debate over the appropriateness of this message since 2001.8 The law prevents the Lubbock Independent School District (LISD) from providing the more comprehensive approach that the health department recommends, but some changes are being made. According to a LISD spokesperson, the new health textbooks place more of a focus on STDs and mention unintended pregnancies. In addition, teachers can now answer questions about birth control options, where they had been censored in the past.9

http://www.siecus.org/policy/PUpdates/pdate0239.html

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2. Here is a top ten list

http://www.avert.org/stdstatisticusa.htm

Rank Primary and secondary syphilis Chlamydia Gonnorhea
1 Louisiana (7.6) Alaska (681.8) Mississippi (257.1)
2 Alabama (7.0) Mississippi (650.5) South Carolina (242.5)
3 Georgia (6.4) South Carolina (525.3) Louisiana (240.6)
4 Nevada (5.7) New Mexico (509.7) Alabama (234.0)
5 Maryland (5.4) Alabama (502.8) Georgia (216.8)
6 California (5.1) Hawaii (435.1) North Carolina (199.4)
7 Texas (4.7) Georgia (429.6) Delaware (176.0)
8 Tennessee (4.2) Delaware (428.6) Missouri (175.9)
9 New Mexico (4.1) Tennessee (424.6) Ohio (167.4)
10 Florida (4.0) Illinois (419.8) Tennessee (162.6)

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3. another table on Chlamydia

http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/tables/table2.htm

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4. and Gonorrhea

http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/tables/table12.htm

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5. All stages of syphilis*

http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/tables/table22.htm

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6. visual aids

http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/figures/figure3.htm

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7. Here is a better one.

http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/figures/figure4.htm

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8. Divorce stats

http://www.divorcereform.org/94staterates.html

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9. Re religious affiliation

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm

[moc]

10. Public health faculty here. STDs aren't my area, but have you checked the following sites:

National Center for Health Statistics (go to www.cdc.gov and search NCHS). I know they have my kind of stats (birth data) stratified by state. They should have that for STDs as well.

Otherwise, you're stuck with state health departments and it would be a pain to go to each.