How can I avoid getting an STD in the first place? Annually the Florida Department of Health provides the federal government with statistical data collected though out our state in regards to sexually transmitted diseases and treatment. They simply saw an opportunity to ride the wave of popularity of all things Australian following the 1986 film Crocodile Dundee. How Will Social Security and Medicare Survive in the New Congress? The Villages has often declined to comment on rumors, but the reports have circulated in local and national media for years. All Rights Reserved. RSS feed for comments on this post. Susan Finkelstein is a registered nurse and medical education services manager for EPIC Sexual Health Center in St. Petersburg. I feel like I have to justify to every single person I know that I didnt buy this place to chase women, said Lafferty, who is 69 and single. Some say a disgruntled nurse hurled it as an insult. Syphilis Rates in Florida. Thats compared to six in 10,000 seniors statewide. Why arent they opening the movie theaters? Blechman then spent time in The Villages and claims to have been at several hotspots and watched seniors swap phone numbers or leave together for the evening. Chlamydia Cases. And the percentage of older adults living in poverty is slightly lower than the national rate, suggesting its retirees may have better access to health care than the country as a whole. CDC Sexually Transmitted Diseases Statistics, Annual Regulatory PlansFlorida Department of Health (pdf). Take a relaxing stroll through Aiken's tree-lined Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is a new, gated 55+ community in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area. And the doctor was never named. Rates of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia among people 55 and older have slightly trended upwards in these counties since 2006, the year the myth about The . One time, she very seriously said, I think Im gonna move to The Villages. In a Letter to the Editor, a Village of Santo Domingo woman wonders why there is only one movie theater open in The Villages. In The Villages, 86% of seniors are white, according to U.S. Census data. Speaking of fun, there have been rumors that The Villages Florida has the highest rate of STD (sexually transmitted diseases)in the United States of America. Villages lore has it that many area residents hook up while at various events in the community, including during a night out on one of the town squares. When barriers to health care are high, so are rates of sexually transmitted diseases, studies show. A lot of the outreach dried up, and a lot of the disease intervention specialists from the health department, etc. Its safe, and everyones happy. 0:48. Old People. The Innerbody study breaks down the top 100 cities with the highest STD rates, and Baltimore and D.C. both made the top 20. Answer: Chlamydia gonorrhea syphilis and HIV are the most commonly reported STDs in Florida. display: block; Some residents wondered why Mark Morse, the developer who owns The Villages, hadnt spoken out to correct the record. However, not everyone agrees on the meaning behind the decorative ornaments. 10 Myths That Could Sink Your Retirement. We're having Syphilis up 52%. Marion and Lake bore similar trends. DCHP.STD.Feedback@flhealth.gov. It appeared over the years everywhere from the New York Post to the Daily Mail. . This story has been shared 149,611 times. Some say a disgruntled nurse hurled it as an insult. Isnt that the STD capital of the United States?. 4 . The Villages, Florida was nominated as a Geography and places good article, but it did not meet the good article criteria at the time (February 9, 2022). The Villages the highest STD rate in the country,'" wrote Jan Schweitzer on the post. With all the publicity it received, how much of it is actually true? One popular pseudo-fact that pounces on newcomers is The Villages has the highest STD rate of any retirement community in Florida. Rumors abound about how the STD rumor started. While as in any county one can find cases of STDs, The Villages is in no way a top place for sexually transmitted diseases . "We . Despite a 14-year-old urban legend that won't go away, The Villages didn't make the list of the worst cities for sexually transmitted diseases.. That distinction belongs to Baltimore, Maryland - the 26th largest city in the United States with a population of about 602,495 - which had the highest per capita rate with 2,004 cases reported per 100,000 residents, according to statistics . The 10 cities with the highest STD rates per 100,000 people, . #18. So the loofa is an easy way for them to spot it from a distance, user gatordent said. 00:00 - Do the Villages in Florida have a high STD rate?00:40 - Does the villages have the highest rate of STDS?01:11 - Can you rent at The Villages in Flori. All of them are tested for sexually transmitted diseases. 14,680. Left navigation requires javascript to be enabled in your browser. Thats compared to six in 10,000 seniors statewide. But I wonder what is the color of 98 percent of those living in upscale retirement anywhere. Im not saying that theyre not thinking about having sex, she added. } He puts on a wonderful act for people that, Medical WordPress Theme Copyright 2022 STDMonitor.com, Why is Floridas The Villages known as the STD capital of America?. Here is what we found: 17 of the Top 25 cities with the highest STD rates are located in states with healthcare spending below the national average of $10,191 per capita. New data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that reported annual cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States continued to climb in 2019, reaching an all-time high for the sixth consecutive year. Highest rates. Its an easy headline. States with the lowest rate of infection: Vermont (43) New Hampshire (44.2) Maine (53.1) Wyoming (53.7) Idaho (66) As with the states with the five highest Chlamydia rates, the five states with the highest rate of gonorrhea cases are the same as the previous year, albeit with minor reshuffling in the ranking: South Carolina and Alabama rose a . 14. Another joked, Going to the dollar store to bling out my in-laws car.. Answer: Theres no reason to be embarrassed about getting tested for STDs. But is the worlds largest retirement community about 80 miles northeast of Tampa really a hotbed for these diseases? 850-245-4303. Blechman, the author of Leisureville, suspected ageism plays a role. You're having sex with women that can't get pregnant anymore, and guess they're like why to use condoms. } Among all age groups nationwide, reported cases of syphilis increased 60 . Residents hear the joke all too often. And sordid tales of prostitutes frequenting Katie Belles at night quickly spread across the community, with some residents saying they fully believed that one to be true. It pointed out that stories about a high rate of STD cases in the community were likely exaggerated. Cases of STD per 100,000 population. Tallahassee, Fort Lauderdale, and Pensacola also made the cut. Communities | I think that fueled some of those rumors.. Answer: If you think you may have an STD its important to see a healthcare provider right away. What should I do? And so why do I have to be careful?". You should also take precautions to . Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight. Hearsay is a dangerous thing. That . The Villages spans three Florida counties Sumpter, Marion and Lake. You can also get vaccinated against HPV and hepatitis B. Let me tell you why: 1. } The high STD rate in the villages is a cause for concern. Learn all about the #1 55 place with the retirement lifestyle you've been searching for right here in The Villages, Florida. As a result, the place that likes to bill itself as Americas Friendliest Hometown has seen a huge increase in sexually transmitted diseases, according to a 2013 Slate article referencing the tabloids coverage. The No. "My doctor in Ohio even, when he asked where we spend time in Florida, stated 'Oh, The Villages the highest STD rate in the country,'" said Jan Schweitzer in a post, obtained by the AP . STDs are common and getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have an infection. I think theres a little bit of jealousy from the outside, said Christine Wynne, a 50-year-old resident. It claimed that the ratio of women to men in the community was 10 to 1. Oh, you dont want to move there, theres STDs. Its utopia here. Loofah sponges may clean your body but theyre apparently a sexy sign that people are getting down and dirty. The rampant STD rumor about The Villages first erupted in 2006 after a gynecologist who had moved to the area . This means that relative to other counties in Florida, the rate per 100,000 of Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) is less in about three quarters of the counties. A state Department of Health official declined to parse out the agencys data on a more granular level, such as a census-designated place like The Villages, citing privacy concerns. Answer: The best way to protect yourself from STDs is by using condoms every time you have sex. In fact, looking at statistics from the Florida Department of Health, it is at the bottom for cases per 100,000 residents. . There was a heightened awareness of the possibility of promiscuity in The Villages and the story spread like wildfire. 1 book in nation before enthusiastic crowd in The Villages, Landlord in The Villages blames tenants in dispute over derelict homes, Villagers among Trump backers demonstrating at DeSantis book event in Leesburg, Sumter commissioners approve design contract for new sheriffs shooting range, Driver hospitalized after vehicle crashes through fence on County Road 466, DUI suspect blames intoxication on impending divorce, Circle K clerk accused of stealing lottery tickets and splitting winnings with friend. Notoriously averse to media interviews, Morse and The Villages community relations team did not respond to multiple requests for comment. But so have sexually transmitted disease rates everywhere. Itll never go away.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. February 18, 2016, 8:49 AM . Join Us | Whether you are a healthcare professional, a college student, or even a civil group, below you can learn where to find data pertaining to STDs and the impact on your community. THE VILLAGES, Fla. Friends up north and across Tampa Bay snickered when Brian Lafferty revealed where hed bought a new home. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. SeaCasa1: Oh cachu!! The Womens Center of The Villages is no longer open. Spread of sexually transmitted diseases among older adults in Florida tended to be higher in counties with major cities and large Black and Latino populations, state data suggest, such as Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and Broward counties. My name, email, and Baltimore and D.C. both made the cut of Leisureville, suspected ageism plays role., not everyone agrees on the Post Friends up north and across Tampa Bay when..., so are rates of sexually transmitted diseases an opportunity to ride the wave of popularity all! 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