There’s never a shortage of things in Chicago to see and do. The Windy City is home to deep dish pizza and storied sports team rivalries, and it’s a city that’s taken strides to spread the word about STD testing and prevention. As the third largest city and the United States, size and population density play a factor in the rate of syphilis being nearly 5 times the national average and HIV infections nearly 2.5 times higher than the national reported rate.1
In a large urban center, keeping communities healthy involves members getting tested and treated for sexually transmitted diseases. We offer a fast, convenient, doctor-recommended process that’s also affordable. Skip the wait in the doctor’s office and opt for a more discreet option than a free clinic with STDtest.com.
Chicago’s amazing attractions extend far beyond the legendary Magnificent Mile. It’s full of astounding architecture and plenty of green space to enjoy that can be rare in a world-class city. While the winters are cold, the summers are some of the best around. While the warm weather comes and goes, there’s always a reason to get tested year round for STDs. When the city blooms back to life in the spring months, being prepared with a clean bill of health takes away the stress and makes more time to enjoy the bountiful farmers’ markets and outdoor concerts.
According to reports on the Chicago Department of Public Health, three major STDs saw a decrease from 2014 to 2015. Specifically, in 2015 there 21% fewer reported cases of chlamydia, 28% fewer reported case of gonorrhea and a 4% decrease of reported primary and secondary syphilis infections.2 Getting tested and treated when appropriate is key to keeping these statistics on the decline.
With our simple STD testing option, you don’t need an appointment and same-day testing is readily available. Instead of trying to schedule an appointment weeks in advance with your primary care physician’s office or waiting for an unknown period of time for testing and care at a free clinic, our process is streamlined for quick and convenient care. Starting the process online or calling our Care Advisor team to get started is an important step to taking control of your sexual health.
As reported by the Chicago Health Department, overall, cases of chlamydia have been stabilizing year over year since 2009 and new cases of HIV declined by 1.4% from 2009 to 2013. While the STD data in Chicago might be trending down, it comes as a result of effort to get the word out about testing and any follow up treatment.Over the 2010-2011 school year, Chicago ranked #1 and #2 respectively for rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia in the 15-24 age group across the country. In response to that data, city schools launched targeted education, raising knowledge awareness of these common and mostly curable diseases that impact the youth of large metropolitan areas today.3
According to the City of Chicago Health Department, the most common reportable STI in both men and women is chlamydia.1 However, Chicago is often referred to as a city of neighborhoods and some communities are higher-risk than others. For example, the highest concentration of reported chlamydia and gonorrhea cases are located on the south and west sides of the city. In contrast, the northwest side of Chicago, namely the communities of Edgewater, Uptown and Rogers Park, saw the highest reported cases of new HIV infections in 2014. In addition to a slight decrease in overall HIV diagnoses, the rate of reported cases for intravenous drug users dropped 73% between 2009 and 2013.1
In the public school system, there are requirements starting as young as elementary school to introduce the idea of “Family Education.”5 The aim of the Chicago Public School system is from administer an age-appropriate form of sexual education each year from grades K-12, with an emphasis as the children mature safe sex to deter the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and prevent teen pregnancy.
If a parent takes issue or is uncomfortable with the curriculum, there is an opportunity for their student or students to opt-out. While CPS takes a strong stance in favor of comprehensive sexual education (a detailed curriculum for K-12 is available to view),6 the public school system acknowledges that parents play the biggest role in teaching their children about sexual health and making smart, informed decisions as they grow older.
This comprehensive approach to sexual education helps to remove some of the stigma around being young and getting tested for STIs. Opening the dialogue about sexual health can encourage action, but why not make the step of getting tested as quick, confidential and convenient as possible? We’re here to help.
Demographics play a large role in how STDs are acquired in Chicago. The demographic makeup of individual communities has the power to play a large role in the overall sexual health of its neighborhood residents. According to the Chicago Department of Health principal investigator Nikhil Prachand, “African-American (men who have sex with men) tend to live in predominantly African-American communities, and many of those communities in Chicago have a higher prevalence of HIV. […] They’re using condoms as or more often than other groups and they also have the same number of sex partners. It’s just that the context in which their behaviors occur happens to be in communities where there is more HIV.”4
In direct relation, a group that is largely impacted by the spread of HIV in Chicago are young, black, gay men. An investigation into this rising trend is being explored by researchers at Chicago’s own Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine as a 5-year, 8.7 million dollar study funded by the National Institutes of Health. A catalyst for this research was a reported 76% increase of HIV diagnoses in men younger than 30 from 2000 to 2011.4 This emerging research will give insights as to how Chicago can best serve the sexual health needs all across the city.
In a metropolitan area that is starting to see a plateau or decrease overall in STDs, the African American community, in accordance with national trends, continues to see disproportionate infection rates in relation to other demographic groups represented in the area. In 2013, the rate of gonorrhea diagnosis was nearly 11 times higher than the rate of cases seen in Caucasian and Hispanic populations in Chicago and the chlamydia rate was 10 times higher than the cases reported in Caucasians. The rate of new HIV infections was nearly double for the African American population than in the Hispanic population.1
With easier access to testing and a convenience of service, residents of Chicago have even more opportunities to take control of their sexual health. Especially in communities that see a higher rate of diagnosis compared to others, the more access to STD testing can mean a significant improvement in a given area’s STD infection rate.
You can spend your free time catching a game at Wrigley Field or sampling one of Randolph Street’s raved-about restaurants rather than waiting around for your STD test. Stress less and be sure of your sexual health by getting screened with STDTest.com. Starting with our doctor-recommended test questionnaire, you’ll be sure you’re taking exactly the tests you need. Our network of labs don’t require an appointment for same-day testing, and if available in your area, In-Home Collection offers testing at home, work, or another convenient location.
You can set up an appointment at your convenience and our affordable testing option can be covered by insurance, paid for out-of-pocket or with HSA/FSA accounts. Our dedicated team of Care Advisors is available from 6 AM – 10 PM CST, 7 days a week. STDTest.com could be the best option for getting the answers you need for your sexual health.
References:
1 HIV/STI Surveillance Report, Chicago December 2014
2 Reportable Sexually Transmitted Diseases by Morbidity Responsibility Area
3 Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections in High Schools
4 “HIV rates rise among young gay, bisexual men,” Chicago Tribune, 6/20/2014
5 Chicago Public Schools – Student Health and Wellness
6 Chicago Public Schools – Sexual Health Education Scope and Sequence for Grades Kindergarten to High School