Doctors Hope Condom App Combats Rising Sacramento STD Rates
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Doctors are blaming the ride in sexually transmitted diseases in several counties in the area on technology and fighting back with a condom-finding smartphone app.
Dr. Paolo Troia Cancio is an infectious disease specialist with CARES, an AIDS and STD prevention program in Midtown. He says Sacramento County has the dubious distinction of being No. 3 for gonorrhea and chlamydia infections.
The most recent numbers show Sacramento County's chlamydia rate is more than 40 percent higher than the state's average, and gonorrhea is at about 50 percent over the state rate.
"It's very alarming to us, because we know there are some STDs that are curable, but there are other STDs that we can treat, but cannot cure."
He says while it's not exactly clear why the rate is so high, he has treated an increasing number of patients who hooked up online.
Casual encounters are easy to find nowadays with smartphone applications that find possible partners based on GPS location in addition to the usual websites. But that easy fun is helping to spread STDs.
"People can quickly find a casual encounter, with basically no strings attached."
A smartphone app called Condom Finder (iOS, Android) can help find a prophylactic. CARES has set up free dispensers at local businesses and the app helps find the closest one.
