HIV and STDs

CDC provides national leadership, prevention research, policy development, and scientific information to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and their complications. Our efforts are concentrated on four focus areas to guide STD prevention activities and maximize long-term impact. Priority issues include eliminating congenital syphilis and sounding the alarm on multi-drug resistant gonorrhea. Our work in STD prevention is also deeply engaged in protecting the health of two populations—adolescents and young adults and men who have sex with men.

Adolescents and Young Adults: STDs primarily affect young people, and the health consequences can last a lifetime. CDC is working with partners to increase prevention and outreach efforts to address this age-based disparity. For example, through the GYT: Get Yourself Tested multimedia campaign, CDC, MTV, Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America are raising STD awareness among young people.

CDC also supports school-based HIV prevention education. Schools play a critical role in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behaviors.

Read stories about the successes achieved by funded partners in the United States:

• Chicago: Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections in High Schools
• Los Angeles: Focusing Efforts on Youth Disproportionately Affected by HIV/AIDS
• Orange County, FL: Improving Sexuality Education Training to Better Equip Classroom Teachers
• San Diego: Increasing Condom Use Among Sexually Active Teens

Gay, Bisexual, and Men Who Have Sex With Men: These populations are impacted by HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea at concerning rates. CDC funds state and local health departments to implement and support local prevention efforts to reduce risk behavior and increase STD and HIV testing among populations at greatest risk. For example, in response to continued popularity of the internet as a place for men who have sex with men to meet sex partners, CDC assists helps health departments conduct internet-based partner services.