Louisiana ranks top five in the nation for Chlamydia, Check It Nola has a solution

NOLA, we are here to keep you in the know, so please make sure you are protecting yourself out here! Make sure you Check In with Check It. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) released its most recent Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report in 2019, with data on the number of reported sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases across U.S. counties and metro areas. among this study, Louisiana ranked top 10 and the city of New Orleans ranked number 24 for highest STD rates. 

Check It, a New Orleans program by researchers at Tulane University School of Public Health is funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, aiming to test and treat straight black men ages 15 to 24 for chlamydia and gonorrhea. 

The Check It team, coordinated by Gérard Gomes, goes to spaces around New Orleans that would attract that age group— like snowball stands, eateries, barber shops and universities— and asks young black men to enroll in the study. 

 Gomes elaborates on ways Check It is gathering young black men “we go out to different locations like barber shops and universities and offer incentives like a free haircut or a T-shirt once they enroll”.

Once enrolled, Check It provides a sample of their urine, which is then tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea. If tested positive, Check It provides participants with free medication that can treat them and their sexual partners.

According to Gomes, “Check It has screened more than 1,800 men in the New Orleans area for chlamydia and gonorrhea, with about 10% testing positive for one of the two infections.” 

Well that’s the hard facts! NewtralGroundz stands with Check It encouraging all youth to participate, we have to get these numbers down NOLA!