More sexually transmitted diseases, fentanyl taking over the opioid epidemic, and communities of color continuing to have poorer health outcomes compared to the rest of the population are some of the highlights of an Onondaga County Health Department community report.
The Health Department compiles statistics on all sorts of things every few years, putting it all together in Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan. It’s the first for Health Commissioner Dr. Kathryn Anderson, who’s been on the job for about eight months. One of the statistics that jumped out at her: the increase in sexually transmitted diseases. The percentage of syphilis cases in particular has tripled from 2020 to 2021, to the point where even newborns are testing positive.
"It has the potential when it’s infecting a pregnant woman to go from a mother to infant and cause very severe outcomes for the infant," Anderson said. "Over the last year, we’ve had four congenital syphilis cases which is the first time in many years that we’ve seen that. It underscores to us that there is more syphilis out there than there has been in a while and there are gaps in how we’re identifying people who need treatment."
The opioid epidemic continues to kill central New Yorkers as the report shows the number of opioid deaths tripling in recent years. Anderson said it also clearly shows how heroin has all but disappeared from the drug scene with fentanyl taking over as the cause of most overdose deaths.
The number of opioid deaths peaked in 2021 and dropped a bit in 2022, a trend Anderson hopes continues. To help with that, she said a county-owned refurbished ambulance that hit the street in January has been able to reach more drug users, by way of a needle exchange program.
"We are exchanging syringes, while educating on how to use Narcan, while talking about our peer support programs, while talking about what recovery would look like," Anderson said. "We’re hoping that our vehicle will give us more access and broader integration into the community and we are optimistic it will make a difference."
The one theme that overshadows the report, from infant mortality to lead poisoning to cancer deaths, is that people of color have poorer health outcomes. Anderson said it comes down to equity — that every person deserves the same right and access to a healthy life. A lot of it comes to social determinants of health.
"Things where, for example, I may have Flex Time and it’s easy for me to get off and see a specialist when they have a gap," Anderson said. "But that’s not the same for all people. And when you see a provider do you have the same kind of access to respectful, culturally informed care, whatever your background may be? I think right now in our county and nationwide, we have a lot of work to do when it comes down to equity."
The full report is available here.
