This interview originally aired on "In the Moment" on SDPB Radio.
State health officials say rates of syphilis are skyrocketing across South Dakota, specifically in Indian Country.
According to data from the Great Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center, in 2020, syphilis rates among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the Great Plains mirrored the national average. By 2022, these rates had increased by 1,865%.
Meghan Curry O'Connell, MD, is the medical epidemiologist for the Great Plains Tribal Leaders' Health Board. She is a member of the Cherokee Nation. She joined "In the Moment" for a update on the disease and response in South Dakota.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
South Dakota Department of Health
