Austin is the original city committed to “keeping it weird”, and it blossoms with a culture that treasures creativity, arts and music. Everyone feels that “Hook ‘em Horns” spirit around town. Austin residents are currently seeing a rise in sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea since 2013,1 and one way to curb this increase is to get tested. Free public clinics can be intimidating and crowded. Don’t waste any time; give STDtest.com a call or order online for testing that is quick, private and works well with your schedule. All you need is fifteen minutes or less to safeguard your health.
Austin is one of the trendiest cities in the country for a reason. Whether you’re enjoying a beautiful day on Ladybird Lake or picking up some of the tastiest food truck treats, the capital city offers a wealth of exciting activities.
In reality, Austin and the greater Travis County area ranks in the top three counties statewide with diagnoses of both primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis, according to the 2014 STD Texas Surveillance report. In a city where sex and STDs are common, taking action and getting tested is a simple solution to keeping the whole city healthy and safe. Skip the free clinic with its long lines and public atmosphere. Call or go to STDtest.com online to set up your appointment at the local clinic of your choice. It’s simple, discreet and catered to you, plus, you’ll be in and out your local lab in less than 15 minutes. All healthcare should be this simple.
Syphilis is the sexually transmitted disease most clearly on the rise, according to communication published by the local and state government. 1&2 According to a Health and Human Services Department report from the City of Austin,2 around 94% of the cases of P&S syphilis in the greater Austin area are male. Furthermore, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported a 65% increase in 2014 year over year in P&S syphilis cases. Chlamydia is another STD that saw an increase from 2013, to 2014, jumping to 7,320 cases in the area.1
According to the Texas HIV Surveillance Report,3 the overall number of new HIV has been steadily rising each year. In 2014, 247 new cases were reported in the Austin/Travis County community. Overall, there are 3,701 cases of HIV/AIDS reported in the area. Syphilis is often the most prevalent cause for concern in the increase of STDs in Austin, but the others including gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS, herpes 1 & 2 and chlamydia still pose a health risk to the residents of the capital city.
Similar the rest of the state, Austin is mandated to teach sexual education with an “Abstinence Only” model.4 This approach to sexual education limits questions about scenarios pertaining to sex outside of marriage, and limits conversation and understanding of how STDs are contracted and how they are treated. In 2011, it was reported that nearly 74.6% of Texas schools offered abstinence-only sexual education as the sole option offered. Another common problem arising from a lack of education is a flippant attitude about getting tested. According to Dr. Philip Huang, medical director and health authority for the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services, “Many people don’t know their status, and that increases transmission.”
With limited information about sexually transmitted diseases, a stigma is attached to getting tested. For the young adults engaging in unprotected sex, their risk of infection could be controlled by getting tested, and requesting that their partner or partners does the same. Reaching out online or via phone makes the process simpler and more effective. The embarrassment of contacting a general physician is removed from the equation when it comes to STDTest.com. Our Care Advisors are here to answer any and all questions you may have pertaining to setting up a test at the lab most convenient for you, your comprehensive sexual health and anything that comes to mind when staying informed about your sexual health.
The greater Austin area has seen a marked increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases in comparison to other major Texas metro areas in the past decade. Since 2006, the number of new cases has risen about 40.6%, compared to an 12% increase in Houston and a 23% decrease in Dallas.5 According to a report from the Travis County Medical Journal, 17% of these cases impact African-American women. The majority of cases in Austin are men, aged 35-54. The most surprising rise, and this is where Austin differs from Dallas and Houston, is that the number of young, white gay men affected is quickly on the rise. There have been small demographic shifts upward in the number of diagnoses for Hispanic men and there continues to be a high number of African American men reported to have HIV/AIDS and other STDs across the board, again referring to the Travis County Medical Journal report.
With the increase in concern about syphilis cases and a continued rise of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, there are a few methods to help educate and increase the sexual health of the larger Austin population. Preventative health and regular testing is a crucial step to the recovery process. Taking proactive action by scheduling a quick and convenient test helps to alleviate the mystery and sets all patience on the path to proper treatment, when necessary. Another way to improve the statistics is to clarify the marketing and set clear, defined examples of what STDs are and how they can be treated. For example, powerful antiretroviral pills like Truvada have helped to lessen fear around contracting the disease. In reality, while PrEP like Truvada are integral in treating HIV/AIDS, this letting down of the guard can leave a given population open to vulnerabilities like higher case occurrence. It’s knowledge and action that make all the difference.
Why not spend your precious time taking in the beauty of Zilker Botanical Garden or get a little shopping done Downtown rather than wait around the doctor’s office for a test you’re dreading anyway? Take some of the stress out of STD testing by setting up a private and quick appointment at a convenient lab location or another testing option of choice. Having an option that works best for you is important. Your health is more than worth it. Find the right fit for your healthcare testing needs at STDtest.com.