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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
DESIGNATING APRIL AS STI AWARENESS MONTH AND APRIL 13-19, 2025, AS STI AWARENESS WEEK IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, April is designated as National STI Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control designates the 2nd week in April as STI Awareness Week with the theme with the theme Talk, Test, Treat, an opportunity to raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and how they impact our lives; reduce STI-related stigma, fear, and discrimination; and ensure people have the tools and knowledge for prevention, testing, and treatment; and
WHEREAS, anyone who is sexually active can get an STI, so it is important to learn more about them and how to minimize your exposure to STIs and take care of your sexual health; and
WHEREAS, according to the CDC, the STI epidemic continues to be widespread, and the 2023 Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Surveillance Report underscores that STIs must be a public health priority as more than 2.4 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the United States; and
WHEREAS, this includes over 209,000 cases of syphilis, over 600,000 cases of gonorrhea, and over 1.6 million cases of chlamydia. Importantly, the combined count includes 3,882 cases of congenital syphilis, including 279 congenital syphilis stillbirths and neonatal/infant deaths; and
WHEREAS, significant disparities in reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs) persisted in 2023. Adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 accounted for nearly half of all reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by STIs, especially gonorrhea and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis. Co-infection with HIV is common among MSM, with 37.2% of MSM with P&S syphilis having HIV. In 2023, 32.4% of all cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and P&S syphilis were among non-Hispanic Black or African American individuals, despite comprising only 12.6% of the US population. Rates of P&S syphilis and congenital syphilis were highest among American Indian or Alaska Native individuals; and
WHEREAS, these disparities are likely due to unequal access to high-quality sexual health care and differences in sexual network characteristics, not just variations in sexual behavior. For instance, in communities with a higher prevalence of STIs, individuals face a greater likelihood of encountering an infected partner during each sexual encounter. Recognizing these disparities and their causes is crucial for empowering affected communities and the public health sector to address systemic inequalities in disease burden; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that STIs acquired cost the American health care system nearly $16 billion in health care costs alone each year; and
WHEREAS, without treatment, STIs can lead to serious health problems such as severe pain, pregnancy outside the uterus, infertility, loss of eyesight, birth defects, certain types of cancers, an up to 5-fold increased risk of HIV transmission and even death, but the good news is that getting tested is easy, and most STIs can be successfully treated; and
WHEREAS, Illinois currently ranks 11th in the nation for chlamydia infections, 13th for gonorrhea infections, 25th for Congenital Syphilis, and 31st for primary and secondary syphilis infections; and
WHEREAS, public health officials stress that individuals can lower the chance of contracting STIs by limiting the number of sexual partners, getting vaccinated for vaccine preventable conditions such as HPV and Mpox virus, frequent testing and practicing safe sex;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this esteemed body in conjunction with National STI Awareness Week and STI Awareness Month hereby recognizes and commemorates April 13-19, 2025, as STI Awareness Week and April 2025 as STI Awareness Month in Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this body encourages individuals, organizations, and communities to actively participate in raising awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and how they impact our lives; how to reduce STI-related stigma, fear, and discrimination; and ensure people have the tools and knowledge for prevention, testing, and treatment; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body.
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