NR222 Health Promotion: STD Prevention in African American Males

This report examines the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among African American males aged 18-30 in the Austin community of Chicago, Illinois. The study highlights the disproportionate impact of STDs on this population, attributing it to factors like socioeconomic backwardness, illiteracy, and risky sexual behaviors. It emphasizes the importance of health promotion interventions, including educational workshops, condom distribution, and tailored strategies for men who have sex with men. The report references relevant statistics and research, including the high rates of HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea in this demographic. The paper concludes by advocating for public health programs that promote safe sex practices, provide access to medical services, and address the underlying social determinants of health to reduce health disparities and improve the well-being of this vulnerable population.

Running Head: HEALTH PROMOTION
HEALTH PROMOTION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1HEALTH PROMOTION
Introduction
Health promotion is an essential practice needed in several communities all around the
world. Due to the study of epidemiology, it is seen that few races and ethnicity are a bigger target
of life threatening diseases due to lifestyle implications or genetic factors. The purpose of this
paper is to discuss the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in Chicago IL Austin
community in African American males between the ages of 18-30 and the importance of health
promotion in this target population. Health promotion is necessary for this target population
because they are unaware about the preventive measures of this disease due to illiteracy and
socioeconomic backwardness. It is essential for health educators to focus on African American
populated areas to decrease health disparities.
Discussion
Sexually transmitted diseases are passed through unprotected sexual contact with people
who have STD or when people have multiple sexual partners. It is also seen widely seen in
people who have sex with the same gender or homosexuality. Sexually transmitted disease are a
threat to the city of Chicago as it is seen in the statistics and surveillance reports. Men in the age
group of 18-30 are more susceptible to this disease because they are young and might be
interested in having unprotected sex with several partners or want to experience unprotected sex
and having same sex partners (McFadden et al., 2014). The IL Austin community in Chicago is
highly dominated by African Americans because Chicago has the third largest population of this
ethnic group after New York and Atlanta, which is making this city outpace the rate of STDs.
During 2015-2016, syphilis was on a high of 18% and it mostly included men such as bisexuals
and gays. The count of HIV cases in United States accounted for 40% and they were African

2HEALTH PROMOTION
American men in 2014. 78% of HIV diagnosed African American men contracted the disease
through male to male sexual contact and 15% was found to be infected due to heterosexual
exposure. The STDs also include Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis other than HIV. In 2016,
the rate of gonorrhea was highest in men, which was 22% and the majority of the cases were
found in bisexual and gay men between the ages of 18-30 years (Chicagotribune.com, 2017).
The project of health promotion relates to the STD infected African American male
population of Chicago because they require such interventions due to the health disparities they
have to go through. The major reason for this health inequity is socioeconomic backwardness
and illiteracy as they are a minority group in America. The awareness about the usage of condom
with same sex partners and various partners is not known to them (Lampkin et al., 2016). This
leads to the high prevalence of STDs in this ethnic group as 41% of African Americans were
reported to be infected with chlamydia, which was almost double the rate of Latinos and whites.
Similarly, the same ethnic group was reported of gonorrhea and that was 48%, which is the
double of Latinos and whites as well. The areas that had the highest case of gonorrhea and
chlamydia were North Lawndale, Riverdale, Englewood and West Garfield Park. The
contributing factors of this disease in this population group is education, housing, economic
opportunity or development (Chae et al., 2014).
The application of health promotion concepts are needed for this group such as
conducting events and workshops related to the prevention of the disease and explaining the
consequences if it is not stopped. Giving health education to people regarding the usage of
condoms because the reason of its transmission is unprotected sex (Woolf-King & Maisto,
2015). Men who are gay and bisexual should be specifically addressed regarding this issue as
they are at a higher risk than straight men. The public health promotional plans should include

3HEALTH PROMOTION
promoting safe sex, increasing condom programming, providing medical services for population
at higher risk, and early detection of asymptomatic and symptomatic infections (Strauss et al.,
2017). Health promotion programs will ensure that this ethnic group is specifically educated
about the threat of this disease and they should be treated when they are diagnosed with HIV or
other STDs. The articles above show that this target population is high on the statistical front
regarding the transmission of this disease and it is more than the whites or Latinos. This
influences the health promotion program, which will distribute free condoms to African
American men and workshop will be conducted for them so that they know the consequences of
having unprotected sex with various partners or having sex with the same sex partner (Hotton et
al., 2016). These approaches will be appropriate for the target population as they are not
informed when it comes to public health or have societies to make them aware about such health
issues. Initiatives will be taken to promote lifestyle changes in men who are between the ages of
18-30 years in African American population by increasing employment with the help of
government, involving them to into social work and health promotion programs, increasing the
literacy rate through educational allowances and promoting the use of condoms for leisure. These
factors will contribute to lifestyle change and eventually people will get less involved in
unprotected sexual activities. Men are the focused gender of this paper so it is essential that the
health promotion strategies should be made keeping in mind their physiological change and the
symptoms they show when they are infected with STD (Luque, Ross & Gwede, 2014). They
have more pressure of meeting financial ends, which makes them more vulnerable to stress that
eventually leads to unhealthy sexual practices.

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Conclusion
To conclude this paper it can be said that the population of African Americans in Chicago
are under a high threat of sexually transmitted diseases, especially men between the ages of 18-
30 years. It is necessary to understand the root cause of this disease and take preventive measures
to control and eradicate the issue. Health promotional programs should be conducted for the
welfare of this group as it is beneficial for everyone in the country. The public health of any city
is under threat when a specific ethnic group is at a high because it shows a pattern that needs to
be improved or changed.

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