COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Last year, surveys revealed Columbus as having one of the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) nationwide. One population that doesn’t always get factored in are those 65-and-over.

As stated in a May 2023 article by Georgia Public Broadcasting, research by Innerbody showed Columbus had 906 STD cases per 100,000 residents. This number ranked the city 21st nationwide, higher than larger metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Nashville, Tenn. Though not the most impacted age range, those in the 65-plus community are more affected than many might think.

“We’ve seen an incredible increase of STIs [sexually transmitted infections], especially chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea in [the 65-plus] age population,” said Columbus State University’s Rebecca Toland, an assistant professor of health science in the Kinesiology and Health Sciences department.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, STI and STD are interchangeable umbrella terms used to describe conditions passed through sexual activity.

Toland, along with her students, and the West Central Health District of the Georgia Department of Public Health worked together research awareness of STDs in the local 65-plus community. Across 2023, they conducted a series of CASPER (Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response) surveys, the last of which included questions about the recent STD rise.

Dareion Smith, the West Central Health District’s emergency preparedness specialist, said, “[We decided] why not conduct the survey to see how they think about it or how they feel about it?”

Results from the CASPER survey are still being processed. Smith confirmed she expects those to come out in the coming weeks. As part of the survey, researchers talked to locals in the 31904, 31906, 31907 and 31909 zip codes.

The goal of the survey was to figure out how aware members of the 65-plus community were of STDs within their age group, especially in zip codes with statistically older residents. Surveyors also passed out informational pamphlets and condoms to locals who were interviewed as part of the research.

Tiera Rowan began her work on the surveys as a student surveyor. Post-graduation she worked as a program coordinator with the Center of Health Disparities, designating appropriate survey areas for research in coordination with the Department of Health.

According to Rowan, many of the 65-plus community members surveyors spoke to were not aware of how prevalent STDs are in their community. She said the response was “definitely a shock.”

“I had one person say, ‘Are you serious? This is really going on?” Smith said at the Columbus Health Department. She added, “Yes, it’s an issue and we want to … identify the gaps so that we can find ways to bridge those together.”

Smith works with experts like registered nurse Valerie Scruggs-Proffitt, the department of health’s clinical coordinator and public health specialist to tackle the city’s STD issue. When it comes to the 65-plus community, they explained both healthcare professionals and patients can play a role in reducing STD occurrences in Columbus.

“Keep that communication open, even if you’re like, ‘Hey, I wonder if this could be something I’ve got,’” Scruggs-Proffitt said. “Come on in and get checked just to be sure.”

She added some STDs have noticeable symptoms like discharge, itching and more for infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Others, such as syphilis, which is currently on the rise, can have signs as subtle as a sore or a rash.

Scruggs-Proffitt advised everyone to let their healthcare providers know whether they are sexually active and be honest with sexual partners if they have an STD.

“If you do find out you have something afterwards, please relay that information to the partners you’ve been with,” said the public health specialist.

STD testing is available through the health department, as well as places like Mercy Med and Valley Healthcare. There are also home test kits which are available to order through the West Central Health District app or website. No insurance is needed to get an STD test kit.

The West Central Health District also has a fast-track system which can speed up the testing process for locals who would like to be tested for STDs but do not show symptoms. The system is available on a walk-in basis for a minimal fee.

Georgia currently ranks 5th in the nation for cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia, with over 100,000 combined cases reported in 2022. It ranks 17th for congenital syphilis and 20th for primary and secondary syphilis.