BATON ROUGE -- Data from the Louisiana Department of Health shows that STI cases have been on the rise, especially across the Baton Rouge area.

According to 2023 data, Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes saw more than 2,200 new gonorrhea diagnoses in 2023 and over 6,300 for chlamydia.

"In addition, what I find more alarming is over 200 cases of syphilis. That's a concern because we had eradicated syphilis in this region for a long time, " Community advocate Eugene Collins said.

The data also shows that the region had 57 pregnant mothers diagnosed with syphilis in 2023, and 21 of them passed it on to their babies. There were also three infant deaths linked to congenital syphilis, which occurs when syphilis is transmitted from an untreated mother to her baby. 

Collins says that right now, the data for 2024 is showing that new diagnoses are trending upwards.

Louisiana's infection rate for STDs has long been high. With this, Metro Health in Baton Rouge partnered with Community Access Inc., also known as CAI, in order to hold "needs assessments" in the Baton Rouge area.

"To come up with a method to address some of these things and to develop some goals and objectives that will help others not only get educated, get tested, get treatment or cured, and then go on and live and enjoy their life," Metro Health CEO Shirley Lolis said.

They asked the public questions like what they knew about STDs, how they felt about access to STD resources, and what kind of support was most needed.

"We did recruiting for those interviews, we did focus groups at the O'Brien House and the CAB members just basically asked those questions that CAI presented here today, and we got feedback, we got the community involved, and what they thought about the rising rates here in Baton Rouge," Prevention Specialist Sonnisha Clark said.

Metro Health's Community Advisory Board talked to assessment participants, which included college students, teachers, and seniors. Key findings of the assessment found significant misinformation about STDs, with many believing that HIV could even be spread by kissing or by a toilet seat.

Trust in doctors and local clinics was high among the participants, but accessibility issues, such as lack of insurance and transportation, were significant barriers.

Speakers talked about how the participants wanted sex and health education to be taught earlier, so that people are informed before they go out and make a mistake.

As for what's next for the organizations, CAI says it will continue working with Metro Health.

"We'll be back here next year to work and go deeper, see the responses that we're seeing now from these community members. They have prioritized what they think is important, so now we'll work with METRO Health to see what your community says is important, lean in. Let's build some programming that will be effective," Maisha Drayton with CAI said.