The 2018 Peoria County Sexually Transmitted Infection Report found chlamydia and gonorrhea rates are 1.5 to 3 times above the Illinois average. Syphilis rates have spiked by 80 percent.
Katy Endress is an epidemiologist at the Peoria City/County Health Department. She said while she doesn’t know exactly what’s driving STI trends, she has an idea why there are more cases recorded.
“We’ve increased testing in our community. So with increased testing, you’re going to identify those asymptomatic individuals," she said.
For instance, about 70 percent of women and 90 percent of men with chlamydia do not present symptoms.
She said that while a spike is seen initially with more testing, the hope is that it eventually leads to falling numbers with increased treatment of the identified cases.
Endress said that’s been true with gonorrhea and people ages 15 to 19 recently. The FLASH sexual education program at Peoria Public Schools is having an impact.
“Seeing those rates decrease in that population tells me that this educational component is having an impact, potentially, on this population," she said.
The FLASH program starts in the 5th grade. She says sophomores this year are the first class to complete the program.
Rates are higher among African-Americans and people living in the 61603, 61604, and 61605 ZIP codes.
