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Find the NCC on Facebook!
The National Chlamydia Coalition is now on Facebook. To follow the NCC, simply visit our page and click the "like" button. Don't forget to share it with your friends and colleagues!
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Dear Colleague,
Welcome to NCC News. This online newsletter was created to keep you up-to-date on all things chlamydia and related areas of interest. We hope you will find it useful and informative. Please feel free to share this with your colleagues who also may find it of use. |
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2014 STD Prevention Conference: Call for Abstracts
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The 2014 STD Prevention Conference Scientific Program Committee is accepting abstracts through October 25, 2013. The Committee invites papers of high quality in the areas of STD prevention research, program and policy. Abstract submissions are peer-reviewed for scientific content, logical presentation, and  current interest of the topic to the scientific community. The 2014 STD Prevention Conference will take place June 9-12, 2014, and will bring together more than 1,500 U.S. and international STD/HIV prevention program managers, researchers, public health authorities, clinicians and advocates to promote an interdisciplinary dialogue on best practices to enhance the quality of STD/HIV prevention and care.
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Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Infections Linked to Pregnancy Complications
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A recent study in Sexually Transmitted Infections found that becoming infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea in the lead-up to, or during, pregnancy increases the risk of complications, such as stillbirth or unplanned premature birth. The researchers analyzed the  birth records of 354,217 women who had had their first baby between 1999 and 2008 in New South Wales, Australia's most heavily populated state. Factors such as age, social disadvantage, smoking, and underlying conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, can all increase the risk of birth complications, and this was evident among the women studied. But even after taking account of these influential factors, women who had had a prior infection with either chlamydia or gonorrhea were still at heightened risk.
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New NCSH Resource Released
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The National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) has released a new resource, " How to Work with Schools to Conduct STD Screening." The factsheet provides important information on adolescents and sexual activity, highlighting the role schools, health systems, community health centers, and STD programs can play to provide youth with free and confidential STD services. The publication also explains how to work with schools and what next steps you can take to better serve the youth in your community.
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| Atlas Application: Now Featuring HIV and STD County-level Data |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention re cently released the latest version of the NCHHSTP Atlas. This tool now includes localized, county-level epidemiologic data for HIV and other STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, primary and secondary syphilis, and early latent syphilis. More localized data, coupled with the Atlas's immediate online data visualization, enhances the ability to identify areas of the United States that bear the greatest disease burden. This new version of the NCHHSTP Atlas also provides a view of overlapping disease trends and can identify disparities by race/ethnicity, sex, and age.
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African-American Women Less Likely to Receive HPV Vaccine Than Whites
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According to a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, African-American women are less likely than white women to receive the HPV vaccine. Researchers analyzed a sample of 2,168 African-  American females aged 15 to 24 from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth to examine the effect of race/ethnicity on HPV vaccine initiation in adolescent girls and young women, and to determine whether access to health care influences this relationship. The study found that only 18.2% of African-American adolescent girls and young women initiated HPV vaccination, compared to 33.1% for white women. This disparity persisted even after taking into account socio-demographic factors and access to health care. The findings suggest a need for health care providers to bolster HPV vaccination recommendations and address negative attitudes toward the vaccine.
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| The ACA and LGBT Health
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The LGBT community is more likely to lack health insurance coverage than heterosexuals, and LGBT individuals have been less likely to get the preventive care they need to stay healthy. With implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many advocates think that  reaching the LGBT community will be a tougher sell, and one that requires more targeted messaging than other outreach campaigns. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working with Out2Enroll, a new initiative to educate the LGBT community about the ACA. HHS Secretary Katherine Sebelius has also spoken out on the importance of educating the LGBT community on the ACA.
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| Adolescents, Technology, and Reducing Risk
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a white paper intended for practitioners and others who work with adolescents. The white paper provides an overview of the ways digital technology can be used to improve the sexual he alth of adolescents. It also examines technology's potential for use in sexual health promotion, addresses the risks associated with misuse of digital technology, and gives examples of innovative adolescent sexual health interventions that have used digital technology to improve their reach and effectiveness.
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| Resource: The ACA and Adolescents
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As of October 1, 2013, enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace will be open. When it comes to adolescent health, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) addresses adolescents' unique health needs in many ways. Check out this new research brief and infographic developed by the Office of Adolescent Health to learn more about the ACA's impact on adolescents.
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| Introducing Bedsider In the Wild
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Bedsider In the Wild is a new program designed to help  20-somethings get on top of their sex life. The program is currently looking for Campus Reps to get involved and bring it to campuses across the country. Want to know more about it? Watch this video or check out these FAQs. Students interested in promoting Bedsider on campus, can fill out the fall semester application here.
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