When you think about New York City, if Manhattan is the only place that comes to mind, you’re missing out. Brooklyn is the vibrant metropolis’ second largest borough and continues to grow and change in a variety of different ways, all blossoming across the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn is home to over 2.6 million residents1 and continues to see the rise of commonly reported STDs like HIV, AIDS and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis in the area.2&3 Keeping the levels of sexually transmitted infections under control in a population of this size requires regular testing and treatment for residents at risk.
Scheduling an appointment at your doctor’s office can often mean waiting weeks before you get in, and the waiting room at a free clinic can potentially be crowded. STDtest.com is a simple alternative for fast, affordable and discreet STD testing. Read on to learn more.
Brooklyn is one of the most eclectic corners of the U.S., with no shortage of great things for people of all ages to take part in. Feel relaxed and take advantage of free time at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden rather than feeling stressed about an unknown STD status. According to the CDC, all STDs can be treated and many can be cured, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis.4 A test could be the difference between getting access to a cure or the right treatment you need and facing the more serious medical consequences of leaving and STD untreated.
For example, an undiagnosed condition can lead to infertility. Each year in the United States, it’s estimated that 24,000 young women are victim to infertility because of these undiagnosed, untreated infections.5 Certain sexually transmitted diseases cannot be cured, but they can be treated with the right regimen. For those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, certain forms of viral hepatitis and genital herpes, medication manages symptoms and reduces the chances of spreading the condition between partners, as well as greatly improving the patient’s quality of life. Get tested, know your diagnosis, to get the treatment you need to move on.6-8
According to recent reports released by the New York City Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, the number of new AIDS infections is increasing as of 2014, with new infections 487 reported in 2013 compared to 593 the following year. Regarding HIV, 708 new infections were accounted for in the Brooklyn population in 2014 compared to 747 the year before, a 5.2% increase. The Brooklyn neighborhood with the highest rate of HIV infection at the time of reporting was East New York.9&10
In Brooklyn, the neighborhood to report the highest number of chlamydia cases was Crown Heights. All across the borough, 17,847 new cases were reported in 2013 compared to 17,624 in 2014, revealing a 1.2% decrease year-over-year. Gonorrhea is another sexually transmitted infection currently on the decline in this metropolitan statistical area. In 2013, 3,882 new gonorrhea infections were reported compared to 4,046 in 2014, a 4% increase. The BK neighborhood most impacted by the spread of this STI in 2014 was Crown Heights, similar to chlamydia. Primary and secondary syphilis in New York is currently on the rise, with a year-over-year increase of 11.9% from 2013 to 2014 across all five boroughs.2&3 Syphilis may be reported in far fewer numbers compared to STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea, however, left untreated, it can lead to very severe medical complications, including the possibly fatal congenital syphilis, a form of the infection passed from mother to child.11
As of 2011, all New York City schools, including all of the K-12 public school institutions in Brooklyn, are mandated to include comprehensive sexual health education in its classroom. This decision was put into effect by the New York City Department of Education. Comprehensive sexual education requires age-appropriate, medical accurate curriculum that showcases the facts about sexual health as well as the variety of methods available for young people to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy. These options, ranging from abstinence to condoms and birth control, should be made available to students, or at the very least, instructions on how to use them properly.12
Another important element of comprehensive sexual education is providing students with the skills and confidence they need to make healthy decisions and know how to best avoid risky behavior, including reaching out when they are in an unsafe or dangerous relationship or situation. Providing this support and encouraging an open dialogue between students, educators, parents and mentors about what to do in the face of a tough choice is an important way to also help lower sexually transmitted disease. With all of the facts available, a young person is poised with more potential to ask questions and take action should their sexual health be compromised.13
When it comes to the demographic distribution of sexually transmitted diseases all across Brooklyn, age plays an important factor. In this borough, the age group with the highest number of reported chlamydia infections in 2014 was 15-24 year olds. Looking at the data for gonorrhea, the age group most impacted by the spread of this sexually transmitted infection is the 20-29 year old population. The Crown Heights neighborhood reported the highest number of infections in this age group. In Brooklyn, women report chlamydial infections in far greater numbers than men, with women reporting 11,624 new infections in 2014 compared to men reporting 6,000. The gender gap is less dramatic when it comes to reported gonorrhea infections in the area. In 2014, men in Brooklyn reported 1,262 new cases, compared to women with 2,784.2&3
According to 2014 the New York City Bureau of Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Quarterly Report, Brooklyn accounted for 28.5% of the HIV infections reported that year. The age group with the highest number of infections was 20-29 year olds. The racial/ethnic group accounting for the highest number of HIV infections throughout this statistical area is the African American population, followed by the Hispanic population. In line with trends observed all across the country, the community group at highest risk for contraction of the virus in Brooklyn is men who have sex with men (MSM), who reported 59.6% new infections in 2014. 9&10 Continuing to educate, reach out and encourage testing and linkage to treatment within these high risk communities is an integral aim of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. When at-risk individuals receive a positive diagnosis and are linked to care, they significantly increase their chances of viral load suppression, meaning a much higher quality of life for the patient.14
Make more time for what you enjoy in Brooklyn, whether it’s visit to a hip market in Williamsburg or a family trip to Coney Island, rather than feeling stressed and unsure about your unknown STD status. Getting started with STDtest.com is simple. Just choose your tests and the local lab nearest you from a national network of thousands for a brief visit (usually 15 minutes or less) to collect your test samples, no appointment needed.
Test results are usually available in 24 to 48 hours. The medical team is available for follow up to answer any questions you may have, discuss your diagnosis or even to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.