Michigan's STD Belt: It's Not What You Think | Bridge Michigan

Forget Rust Belt, Michigan Has An 'STD Belt'

A line of Michigan counties, stretching along Interstate 94 from the Detroit River west to Lake Michigan, carries a dubious distinction: some of the highest rates of a sexually transmitted disease in the Great Lakes State.

This phenomenon - an (un)chastity belt, if you will - is not, however, the result of especially lascivious behavior by residents in those counties.

Rather, the figures reflect a quirk of infection reporting, driven by the policies of a private organization (Planned Parenthood), which experts tell Bridge actually hides a larger problem - the lack of consistent access and use of STD testing in dozens of counties across Michigan.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot