THE VILLAGES, Fla. Friends up north and across Tampa Bay snickered when Brian Lafferty revealed where hed bought a new home. . Statistics from the Florida Department of Health show which of the state's 67 counties have had the most and least number of new cases of sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhea, chlamydia, and infectious syphilis over the three-year-period between 2009 and 2011. Blechman also told the exploits of a 63-year-old bachelor known as Mr. Although no cities in Florida made the top 10, Tallahassee came the closest at No. But both served to fuel the rumor of promiscuity and wild times in The Villages, which by then was frequently being referred to as a quasi-college-like town for seniors who wanted to play hard and party even harder. The findings concluded that STD rates continue to run rampant in the South, with nearly half of the top 25 cities with the highest STD rates in the South. While as in any county one can find cases of STDs, The Villages is in no way a top place for sexually transmitted diseases. Finkelstein also attributes the higher rates to abstinence-only education in Floridas public schools, a requirement tied to funding. Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise nationally in the wake of the pandemic. Williamstown , New Jersey: Guy Luongo Gaetano Luongo. And the percentage of older adults living in poverty is slightly lower than the national rate, suggesting its retirees may have better access to health care than the country as a whole. The New York Post released a story with the headline Romance and STDs: Inside Floridas Wild Retirees Getaway. If Blechmans book cracked the door open for the STD rumors to roar back to life, the New York Post article flung it wide open and put just about every sordid detail possible on the table. When barriers to health care are high, so are rates of sexually transmitted diseases, studies show. Discovered on: 2022-08-20 15:38:49 display: block; . New York, and Maryland saw the highest instance of STIs among populations 55 and older with an average STI rate per 100,000 at 881.8, 236.2, and 172.7 respectively. How about you? I think that fueled some of those rumors.. Letsgetstarted. The high STD rate in the villages is a cause for concern. In 2009, the New York Post called The Villages ground zero for geriatrics who are seriously getting it on.. Give us a few moments to clear this up. } But its important to note that the sprawling community is in a heavy growth mode and is now home to more than 125,000 people. Orlando came in at No. The Villages community began growing in the mid-1990s, and at the same time, the Sunshine State saw a rise in STD cases among the over-55 population. In December 2017 with the STD rumor amazingly still circulating across the community an article published in Seniors Health took on the controversy. TikToker Tora Himan posted the 28-second clip, with the viral Dubskie song, Oh No Oh No Oh No No No, showcasing residents of the Villages community purchasing the multicolored shower scrubbers to hang on the roofs of their cars and golf carts with the caption, They are everywhere!. you can anticipate to spend between $807 and $1,262 per month to live in The Villages, Florida, depending on your home choice and the associated fees. Loofah sponges may clean your body but theyre apparently a sexy sign that people are getting down and dirty. Rumors of high STD rates in the Villages persist. States with the lowest rate of infection: Vermont (43) New Hampshire (44.2) Maine (53.1) Wyoming (53.7) Idaho (66) As with the states with the five highest Chlamydia rates, the five states with the highest rate of gonorrhea cases are the same as the previous year, albeit with minor reshuffling in the ranking: South Carolina and Alabama rose a . With a focus on fitness, relationships, Cresswind Charleston is Charleston-area's BEST active adult lifestyle community. 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What are some of the most common STDs in Florida? All the retirees drive similar cars and old gran cant go around the whole parking lot looking for her car. Answer: The only way to know for sure if you have an STD is to get tested by a healthcare provider. Join Us | Tallahassee, Fort Lauderdale, and Pensacola also made the cut. WUSF 89.7 depends on donors for the funding it takes to provide you the most trusted source of news and information here in town, across our state, and around the world. While statistics arent yet reflecting the trend, one physician at the Womens Center of The Villages said, even in her years working in Miami, she has never seen so many cases, the since-removed WFTV article reported. Without exception, every person Ive told I bought a house in The Villages has asked the same thing, Lafferty said. Covering an area larger than Manhattan, The Villages spans three Florida counties Sumter, Marion and Lake. Statistics from the Florida Department of Health seemed to support the doctors claim, as the rate of syphilis and gonorrhea cases in the tri-county area had remained steady from 2000 to 2004. But so have sexually transmitted disease rates everywhere. The Villages has more of those goods, services and other amenities per capita than most places in Florida. And the doctor was never named. Some say a disgruntled nurse hurled it as an insult. Compared to Florida overall, however, the three counties containing The Villages tended to have significantly lower rates. But is the worlds largest retirement community about 80 miles northeast of Tampa really a hotbed for these diseases? And he spoke with a woman who was balancing a pencil between her breasts that claimed to work for a local medical center where cases of STDs were out of control. Many Villagers agreed, noting theyve never heard the myth from someone living in the community. Answer: If left untreated STDs can cause serious health problems like infertility cancer and even death. Marion and Lake bore similar trends. The Seniors Health article also said that the majority of people living in The Villages wouldnt be affected by STDs even if an issue existed in the first place. In 2009, the New York Post called The Villages ground zero for geriatrics who are seriously getting it on.. The city had 1,502 STD cases reported per 100,000. Oh, you dont want to move there, theres STDs. Its utopia here. Both served jail time as a result of the escapade. Often, the stories seized on signs that The Villagers were engaging in casual sex or dating, wielding them as evidence of heavy transmission within the retirement community. Another reason for the high STD rate in the villages is that there is a lot of unprotected sex taking place. @media screen and (max-width: 767px) { His 30-year-old daughter in Boston called to express concern. Its safe, and everyones happy. It had received more than 300 responses. Because theres so much shame associated with them.. In 2019 the States overall rate of infection for gonorrhea was 175 per 100,000 population. Tallahassee, Fort Lauderdale, and . And they should be treated with respect, not as a caricature.. Compared to other practitioners, I should. How Will Social Security and Medicare Survive in the New Congress? Thats compared to six in 10,000 seniors statewide. If you are unable to find the data you seek, feel free to contact us by phone 850-245-4303, or email DCHP.STD.Feedback@flhealth.gov. Steven Lorenzo sentenced to death for 2 Tampa murders, When will Social Security sunset? 0:48. "My doctor in Ohio even, when he asked where we spend time in Florida, stated . Where did this pervasive legend start? Compared to other practitioners, I should. ORLANDO, Fla. - A new study ranks Orlando, Gainesville, and Jacksonville among the top 100 list of U.S. cities for sexually transmitted diseases. Blechman then spent time in The Villages and claims to have been at several hotspots and watched seniors swap phone numbers or leave together for the evening. 61 among the top 100 U.S. cities with the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases. A Tampa Bay Times inquiry on the 38,000-member Facebook group, The Villages Word of Mouth, was revealing. !And here's a chart of new STD cases per 100,000 people aged 55+ in Sumter County vs. the state as a whole: Any good statistician will tell you that you can make numbers say anything you want. The Best Walkable Places to Retire in South Carolina, Rising Popularity of ADUs a Blessing for Retirees, More Tales of Downsizing and the Household Negotiations Involved. The Womens Center of The Villages is no longer open. Privacy Policy. A Village of Monarch Grove resident, in a Letter to the Editor, pleads with officials not to change the dress code at golf courses. A primary care physician in the community with ties to The Villages brass did his part to kill the urban myth about rampant STDs in the mega retirement community. This is especially true of young people who are not using condoms. I feel like I have to justify to every single person I know that I didnt buy this place to chase women, said Lafferty, who is 69 and single. Its irresistible no one wants to think about their parents having sex, but they love news articles about old people having sex. Old People. Here is what we found: 17 of the Top 25 cities with the highest STD rates are located in states with healthcare spending below the national average of $10,191 per capita. Isnt that the STD capital of the United States?. The Orlando Sentinel article asserts that The Villages is 98 percent white. What Florida city has the highest STD rate in 2022? They may be embarrassed or scared but its important to remember that getting tested and treated is the best way to protect both of you. Directors. of Health. One Redditor, who claims to have worked at the Villages for three years, suggests the loofahs simply help residents find their own vehicles since all the retirees drive similar cars., The reason for the loofas is simple, its so they can find their car. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Residents of The Villages are, of course, sexually active, said Dr. Marivic Villa, an internist who runs a health clinic in the retirement community. Requested URL: www.55places.com/blog/10-major-myths-rumors-about-the-villages, User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 15_5 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) CriOS/103.0.5060.63 Mobile/15E148 Safari/604.1. Since the 2000s, lawmakers have reallocated money for sexual health, a move that experts often credit with contributing to a nationwide spike. When barriers to health care are high, so are rates of sexually transmitted diseases, studies show. She says part of the reason infections are so high is because HIV isn't the death sentence it used to be. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. A moderator disabled comments on the post within days. As a result, the place that likes to bill itself as Americas Friendliest Hometown has seen a huge increase in sexually transmitted diseases, according to a 2013 Slate article referencing the tabloids coverage. 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A19. The city had 1,502 STD cases reported per 100,000. It appeared over the years everywhere from the New York Post to the Daily Mail. 14. Q and A The year was 2006 and a Villages gynecologist was about to make a serious dent in the image of Floridas Friendliest Hometown one that wasnt going to be welcomed with open arms. .kxikc63ffb4b933c33 { But perhaps no myth is more ubiquitous or more enduring than the idea of rampant rates of sexually transmitted diseases. As a result, the place that likes to bill itself as Americas Friendliest Hometown has seen a huge increase in sexually transmitted diseases, according to a 2013 Slate article referencing the tabloids coverage. Tallahassee is ranked at 14, surpassing other major cities in the state such as Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville. Accept. Notoriously averse to media interviews, Morse and The Villages community relations team did not respond to multiple requests for comment. In reality, I dont see much STDs, said Villa, who has worked in The Villages almost two decades. Compared to Florida overall, however, the three counties containing The Villages tended to have significantly lower rates. It talked about Villagers having sex in their golf carts. Data editor Langston Taylor contributed to this report. As a result, the place that likes to bill itself as Americas Friendliest Hometown has seen a huge increase in sexually transmitted diseases, according to a 2013 Slate article referencing the tabloids coverage. Covering an area larger than Manhattan, The Villages spans three Florida counties Sumter, Marion and Lake. But is the worlds largest retirement community about 80 miles northeast of Tampa really a hotbed for these diseases? It appeared over the years everywhere from the New York Post to the Daily Mail. When barriers to health care are high, so are rates of sexually transmitted diseases, studies show. . 'STDs. Syphilis Rates in Florida. Travel Like a Millionaire on a Retirement Budget! Always go to the source like the FL Dept. "A lot of the testing sites shut down, Finkelstein said. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. This is especially true of young people who are not using condoms. My grandmother lives in Florida. Isnt that the STD capital of the United States?. TIL that Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, FL by four Americans who had never visited Australia. They weren't focusing on (sexually transmitted infections) and HIV. Similarly for rates of chlamydia, the overall rate for Florida is 525.5 while Leon Countys is 1147 and Sumters 157. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Its no secret that The Villages have been a breeding ground for swingers. 10 Myths That Could Sink Your Retirement. CDC Sexually Transmitted Diseases Statistics, Annual Regulatory PlansFlorida Department of Health (pdf). That contrasts with Leon County, home to the capitol and Florida State U., where the rate is 370. And they should be treated with respect, not as a caricature.. My doctor in Ohio even, when he asked where we spend time in Florida, stated Oh, The Villages the highest STD rate in the country, wrote Jan Schweitzer on the post. ORLANDO, Fla. - A new study ranks Orlando, Gainesville, and Jacksonville among the top 100 list of U.S. cities for sexually transmitted diseases. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Site Map | And will it ever go away? Chlamydia Cases. Its safe, and everyones happy. They can provide you with a diagnosis and treatment if necessary. This story has been shared 149,611 times. They do a lot but not to the point that theres STDs left and right and all over the place.. display: block; } Answer: If you think you may have an STD its important to see a healthcare provider right away. In a Letter to the Editor, a Village of Santo Domingo woman wonders why there is only one movie theater open in The Villages. 26,316. A Tampa Bay Times inquiry on the 38,000-member Facebook group, "The Villages Word of Mouth," was revealing. Residents hear the joke all too often. Some people love gossip about old people and sex.. Gonorrhea Instances 4,971. . Answer: Some STDs can be cured with medication but others (like HIV) can only be managed with treatment. Read his Letter to the Editor. } "My doctor in Ohio even, when he asked where we spend time in Florida, stated 'Oh, The Villages the highest STD rate in the country,'" wrote Jan Schweitzer on the post. Copyright 2022 by The Associated Press - All rights reserved. "When people saw it as a fearful thing, because it was a life-threatening disease, they tended to be a little bit more cautious, Finkelstein said. According to a 2018 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, males aged 65 and older had a 16.7 percent rise in syphilis diagnoses. Press | Escambia County's 2020 STD rate per 100,000 was 30% higher than Florida average and has exceeded the state average every year dating back to the 2006. . Seriously getting it on living in the Villages tended to have significantly lower rates the rise nationally in the,! 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