Condom-wearing chile helps raise STD awareness

LAS CRUCES — The New Mexico Department of Health is using creative means to get the word out about National Condom Month.

An Instagram post at the start of of the month depicts a red chile pepper outfitted with a condom along with the message: “Wrap it up! It’s your health — Take charge and be safe! #CondomMonth.”

The message is timely given that rates of sexually transmitted disease in New Mexico have risen sharply, according to recent data. The syphilis rate rose 61 percent from 2015-16, the gonorrhea rate climbed 40 percent and the chlamydia rate increased 4 percent. New Mexico was recently ranked fifth in sexually transmitted diseases.

The department’s recent Instagram post says: “If one of Cupid’s arrows finds its way to you this month (or any other time), we want you to be safe. Condoms are inexpensive and reduce the risks for sexually transmitted diseases.”

Health Department spokesman David Morgan said the agency “takes the spread and treatment of all sexually transmitted diseases as well as the number of teen births in our state very seriously.

“There remains no better ways to prevent both teen births and STDs than through abstinence, mutual monogamy, and when necessary, the use of condoms,” he said. “The use of the chile was to create a memorable image for February’s National Condom Month for use on our social media platforms. Any discussions about sexual health among couples, families and New Mexicans of any age that are sparked by the use of this graphic are a welcome outcome.”

People in their 20s have the highest overall rates of infection, compared to other age groups.

A similarly young demographic makes up the audience of Instagram with nearly 6 in 10 internet users in the 18-29 age group using the app, according to Pew Research Center. About one-third of 30- to 49-year-olds use Instagram.

The department encourages sexually active adults to get screened at least once a year for STDs, either at their primary care physician or a departmentrun STD clinic. Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are treatable infections, but it’s important to get screened to find them, health officials have said.

Some stages of illness don’t show symptoms.