About Division of STD Prevention

At a glance

CDC's Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) confronts the root causes of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by improving care and treatment access for the nation’s most disproportionately affected persons. We engage community, state, and national leaders and partners to serve the public and groups at higher risk of STIs and illness.

Division of Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention

Our mission

To provide national leadership, research, policy development, and scientific information to help people live safer, healthier lives through the prevention of STIs and their complications. This mission is accomplished by assisting health departments, healthcare providers and non-government organizations (NGO) through the provision of timely science-based information and by clearly interpreting such information to the general public and policy makers. The Division's specific disease prevention goals are contextualized within the broader framework of the social determinants of health, the promotion of sexual health, and the primary prevention of sexually transmitted disease.

Priorities

DSTDP concentrates its efforts on five priority populations to guide STI prevention and maximize long term impact.

  • Adolescents and young adults
  • Men who have sex with men (MSM)
  • Pregnant people
  • Prevention systems
  • Transgender individuals
Keep Reading: STI Prevention Priorities

Goals

GOAL 1. Prevent new STIs

1.1. Raise the visibility of sexual health, STIs, evidence-based screening guidelines, and support actionable conversations

1.2 Reduce syphilis among people of reproductive age to prevent cases of congenital syphilis

1.3 Reduce antimicrobial-resistant gonococcal (AR GC) infections domestically and internationally

GOAL 2. Improve the health of people by reducing poor health caused by STIs

2.1 Increase STI screening, treatment, management, and holistic care among all people, particularly priority populations

2.2 Expand workforce knowledge and experience, and healthcare systems capacity to implement quality STI prevention, screening, diagnosis, surveillance, and treatment

2.3 Support training, and expanded staff capacity, including DIS in programs and settings that serve communities and populations disproportionately impacted by STIs

2.4 Optimize, expand use of, and improve the effectiveness of expedited partner therapy, STI partner services, and linkage to care

2.5 Monitor and advance the understanding of burden and trends of STIs and their sequelae

GOAL 3. Accelerate Progress in STI research, prevention, and technology

3.1 Use translational, implementation, and communication science research to identify, evaluate, scale up, and promote best practices in STI prevention and treatment in diverse settings

3.2 Support the development and uptake of innovative STI diagnostics, prevention technologies, therapeutic agents, and other interventions for the prevention, identification, and treatment of STIs, including new and emerging disease threats

3.3 Support the development, assessment (or evaluation), and dissemination of innovative STI service delivery models in settings such as clinics, emergency departments, pharmacies, urgent care, correctional facilities, schools and school-based health centers, mental health programs, substance use disorder programs, retail clinics, and field and community settings

3.4 Promote and strengthen the use of innovative technologies and develop new mechanisms for accessing, analyzing, and disseminating data

3.5 Support research to better understand foundational STI biology and STI transmission dynamics

GOAL 4. Reduce STI-related health disparities and health inequities

4.1 Expand access to trauma-informed, stigma- and discrimination-free, culturally competent and linguistically appropriate STI prevention, care, and treatment services in communities disproportionately impacted by STIs

4.2 Support, monitor, evaluate, and disseminate programs and policies that reduce barriers to improve the delivery and receipt of services for communities and populations disproportionately impacted by STIs

4.3 Support development, assessment (or evaluation) and dissemination of interventions that address social and structural determinants of health (e.g., housing, transportation, food, racism, discrimination, education, job opportunities, etc.) and co-occurring conditions that impede access to STI services and exacerbate disparities

GOAL 5. Achieve integrated and coordinated efforts to address the STI epidemic

5.1 Maximize use of surveillance data

5.2 Expand accountability for STI prevention and control

5.3 Coordinate and align efforts to address the syndemic of HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and substance use disorders

5.4 Support health departments with technical assistance to address the STI epidemic

GOAL 6. Enhance and support an effective internal workforce

6.1 Work within DSTDP to increase professional development opportunities and retention

6.2 Work to improve morale, inclusiveness, and diversity of staff

Resources

CDC-INFO

Have a question on STIs? Need a publication? Have a comment or suggestion about our website?

CDC-INFO provides general health information via telephone or e-mail on a wide variety of health topics, including STIs in response to common questions from the public and healthcare workers.

CDC-INFO's operating hours are 8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday. Closed holidays.

Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348

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Content Source:
National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention