title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
DESIGNATING APRIL AS STI AWARENESS MONTH AND APRIL 13-19, 2026, AS STI AWARENESS WEEK IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, April is designated as National STI Awareness Month with the theme of “Forward Together: Uniting Science, Community, and Care for STI Prevention”; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control designates the 2nd week in April as STI Awareness Week 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 2024 Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Surveillance Report underscores that STIs must be a public health priority as more than 2.2 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the United States, which represents a 9% decline from 2023, down a third consecutive year, however, overall cases are 13% higher; congenital syphilis is nearly 700% higher; and
WHEREAS, this includes over 190,242 cases of syphilis, over 543,409 cases of gonorrhea, and 1.5 million cases of chlamydia. Importantly, the combined count includes 3,941 cases of congenital syphilis, including 110 per 100,000 live births of congenital syphilis stillbirths and neonatal/infant deaths according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which represents the 12th year in a row and 700% compared to a decade ago; and
WHEREAS, racial and ethnic minorities (Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native) and gay/bisexual men continue to be disproportionately affected by STIs, driven by systemic barriers including poverty, stigma, and lack of access to quality healthcare; and
WHEREAS, these disparities are attributable to unequal access to high-quality sexual health care and variations in sexual network characteristics, rather than solely variations in sexual behavior. For instance, in communities with a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), individuals are more likely to encounter an infected partner during each sexual encounter. Recognizing these disparities and their underlying 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 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 14th in the nation overall for STIs including 10th for chlamydia infections, 13th for gonorrhea infections, 31st for Congenital Syphilis, and 19th 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 the Cook County Board of Commissioners in conjunction with National STI Awareness Week and STI Awareness Month hereby recognizes and commemorates April 12-18, 2026, as STI Awareness Week and April 2026 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.
end