842: Syphilis Strategies, Update to Family Planning Guidelines

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, February 12, 2025. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

JILL HUNSAKER RYAN: 

Last year, we detected nearly 3500 cases, and it particularly has a foothold in transient populations, including people who are experiencing homelessness, people who are incarcerated.

JOHNSON: 

That's an update on syphilis in Colorado. Jill Hunsaker Ryan is an ASTHO member and the executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Ryan says the General Assembly provided a significant amount of funding to allow for a full response.

HUNSAKER RYAN: 

That includes access to testing and screening, increasing provider knowledge around syphilis. Since providers haven't been used to seeing this, you know, since it's really increased so significantly over the last few years.

JOHNSON: 

Ryan also put in a public health order that's made a difference for congenital syphilis.

HUNSAKER RYAN: 

It required health care facilities and providers, including correctional facilities and ERs, to test and treat anyone who's pregnant, and for correctional facilities to test at specific points throughout the pregnancy.

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

The proof of success is in the numbers.

HUNSAKER RYAN: 

We were looking at potentially 150 cases. And right after that order was signed, we really saw the projected number come down in terms of actual cases. And last year, we had five cases of newborn deaths where we had tested and found syphilis to be present, and then we were able to bring that down to just one.

JOHNSON: 

Ryan's department has a web page dedicated to syphilis. You can find it using the link in the show notes.

An update was recently published to the guidelines Providing Quality Family Planning Services in the United States. Dr. Sonya Borrero, from the University of Pittsburgh, is one of the authors of the update.

SONYA BORRERO: 

This set of guidelines is more expansive in that it really seeks to serve as clinical recommendations and guidelines for any current or potential provider of sexual and reproductive health care.

JOHNSON: 

The update comes more than a decade after the original publishing.

BORRERO: 

One, the scope of providers it intends to support is much more expansive. Second, our definition of sexual and reproductive health care is more expansive.

JOHNSON: 

Borrero says these guidelines are an important part of whole health.

BORRERO: 

Sexual and reproductive health care is just a key aspect of people's overall health and well-being. And improving the quality of sexual and reproductive health care services can therefore lead to improved health outcomes, both directly and through improved patient experiences of care.

JOHNSON: 

You can read the full guidelines, they're online now. As always, there's a link in the show notes.

Also today, the ATHO PROFILE gives key insights into the public health workforce. Right now, you can check out a data story focused on the number of public health, non-temporary employees, as well as the rise of vacant and temporary positions, use the link in the show notes to learn more.

Finally, this morning, the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention is inviting you to participate in a needs assessment to help shape the future of suicide prevention. The organization wants to know how your department is handling suicide prevention. You can help using the link in the show notes.

That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Summer Johnson, you're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.