The US has seen a rise in STIs, particularly syphilis.

Is It Possible for Faith Communities to Combat the Increasing Rates of STIs? (Photo: SA/Rachelle J)

Healthcare providers attribute the 32% increase in syphilis cases between 2020 and 2021 to the pandemic, while the CDC forecasts a 1,000% increase from 2012 to 2022. Medical specialists are concerned about the rise in congenital cases of the virus, which women pass on to their unborn offspring.

The Voices of Obstetricians

An influential obstetrician and National Medical Association president, Yolanda Lawson, has raised concerns regarding congenital syphilis’ preventability. She emphasizes the role of education, testing, and medication in reducing syphilis cases and the need for more investment, political will, and social commitment to address this issue.

A Call to Action

Congenital syphilis is on the rise, which is a sign of more considerable healthcare disparities in the US. There is an immediate need for a more consistent approach to testing and treatment since insufficient testing and treatment have been identified as leading causes.

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Faith Communities are Raising Awareness and Support

Erika Borrego, CEO of Corazón San Antonio, a comprehensive ministry to unhoused individuals that provides meals, case management, clothes, hygiene kits, and more, said community education, testing, and treatment are crucial, especially for communities with significant healthcare hurdles. Corazón provides safe sex instruction and materials in and out of churches as part of their harm reduction project.

The ministry hopes to serve as a reminder in San Antonio that the church and the lived experiences of homelessness, addiction, abuse, and mental illness — all of which add to the likelihood of exposure to STIs — should not be hidden from each other.

“The role I’m seeing the faith community play in this space is creating an environment that allows services to be offered and accessed by the community,” Borrego said.

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