These Are The Most Sexually Diseased States In The US

The likelihood of sexually transmitted diseases has seen a steady increase for a third year within the United States — and casual hookup apps like Tinder and Grindr may be to blame.

These are the most diseased states in the U.S.:

1. Alaska
2. Mississippi
3. Louisiana
4. Georgia
5. New Mexico
6. North Carolina
7. South Carolina
8. Arkansas
9. Delaware
10. Oklahoma

These states have the fewest amoung of STDs:

1. Vermont
2. New Hampshire
3. West Virginia
4. Maine
5. Utah
6. Idaho
7. Wyoming
8. Connecticut
9. Massachusetts
10. New Jersey

The U.S. saw an increase in all STD categories: Chlamydia rose 4.7 percent since 2015; Gonorrhea increased 18.5 percent; Primary and Secondary Syphilis went up 7.6 percent and Congenital Syphilis increased 27.6 percent in 2017.

STDs were rated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a national epidemic in a report released Sept. 26.

Growth in these diseases has many possible causes. Though casual hookup culture has grown in popularity, poverty and lack of sexual education may also be acting factors to the relevance of STDs in the U.S.

In comparison with CDC data, states with higher levels of poverty tend to also have higher levels of STDs. According to a PJ Media report Tuesday, with all of the possible causes, it seemed as though poverty and lack of quality health care were the biggest factors.

"Lack of quality health care seems to be a greater factor since seven out of the top ten worst states for health care are also on the worst STD list," the report read. "(Poverty) certainly seems to be a factor because none of the richest states are on the most diseased list while six of the top ten poorest states are riddled with STDs."

Data released by the CDC, condensed into a heat map by Trent Wilson of BackGroundChecks.org, ranked which states within America have the highest and lowest percentages in STDs. Some of the highest-ranking states are Alaska, Mississippi and Louisiana; while some of the lowest-ranking states are Vermont, New Hampshire and West Virginia.

Last year alone brought over two million cases of STD's, however, this year 1.6 million new cases of chlamydia were recorded alone. Another 470,000 gonorrhea cases and nearly 28,000 cases of primary and secondary syphilis were reported according to CDC data.

"Increases in STDs are a clear warning of a growing threat," said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. "STDs are a persistent enemy, growing in number, and outpacing our ability to respond."

CDC urges state and local health departments to increase prevention infrastructure and help detect these diseases in as early as possible.