Cowlitz County's gonorrhea rate dips
Monday, January 14, 2008 7:47 AM PST
By Barbara LaBoe
Printable version
E-mail this articleCowlitz County's gonorrhea outbreak slowed significantly in 2007 -- but the county's infection rate still leads the state.
The number of gonorrhea cases reported in the county decreased 38 percent last year, from 197 in 2006 to 121 in 2007. That's great news, particularly after four straight years of skyrocketing increases.
But health officials said it's also too soon to celebrate.
"I'm very, very proud of this team and what we've accomplished, but we're still not done," said Dr. Mimi Fields, the county's health officer. "We still have two and half times the next highest county (rate), for Pete's sake."
This will be the third year the county leads the state in gonorrhea infection rates. The second-place finisher, Pierce County, isn't even close.
The state hasn't officially released its year-end sexually transmitted disease numbers, but local officials have calculated them based on provisional state data. Cowlitz County ended the year with 135 cases, for a rate of 138 per 100,000 people. Pierce County, the next county in line, ended the year with 401 cases and a rate of 51 per 100,000. The state's year-end rate is 35 cases per 100,000 people.
The state and county track cases differently based on when reports are received and repeat patients, so their numbers vary slightly. The county, for example, lists 121 cases in 2007; the state counts 135. Either measure, though, gives Cowlitz County the top rate.
Despite another number one ranking, local officials said the overall decline for 2007 is encouraging.
In fact, state officials are questioning whether the county is still in an "outbreak" based on the decrease, Fields said. From the county's standpoint, though, there still are far too many cases compared to just a few years ago to not consider this an outbreak, she said. In 2002, for example, the county had only 17 gonorrhea cases.
An "outbreak" status signals local officials that they need to investigate the cause of a dramatic increase and work to halt it. Cowlitz County's numbers were so dramatic that additional state dollars and personnel also were made available.
The county has been combatting STDs for several years only to see the numbers continue to climb -- making this year's decrease all the more exciting.
Changes in public health and infection rates rarely come quickly, Fields said, because they often involve changing mindset and community habits. Fields likens the STD campaign to a marathon rather than a sprint, but said they're still moving at "a pretty good clip," in addressing the problem.
There's no one reason or tactic officials can identify as the reason for the drop in cases. Fields said she believes it was their efforts in their totality that brought about the change.
Officials made it a priority to interview every gonorrhea patient possible and also put an emphasis on getting patients' partners tested and treated regardless of their ability to pay. Interviews were expanded to capture more information about risk factors and workers also visit the county jail weekly to test and treat inmates there.
"It's not so much where we have found the people as it is that we found them," and were able to test and educate about risk factors, Fields said. the quote is hard to read
"Can we stop now and think we're done? Absolutely not," Fields said. "But we also can be encouraged that whatever it is, our efforts are working."
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