Although common bacterial infections are on the rise, in recent years, Columbus has seen in a decrease in the number of new HIV infections reported.⁷ To perpetuate this positive trend and to improve the status of chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea in the greater Franklin county area, spreading the word about testing and encouraging linkage to care is essential. All residents should know what options are open to take full control of their sexual health.

Getting tested for STDs should be fast, confidential and affordable. STDtest.com works with patients to provide a doctor-recommended panel of tests, same-day test sample and specimen collection, with results available usually within three business days or less. The medical team is available to discuss any questions and additionally to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and allowed by state law. With infection numbers and rates climbing in Columbus, getting answers about your STD status is key to personal health and the health of the community.

STD Test Statistics in Columbus, OH

Of the nine major metropolitan areas in Ohio (including Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Lima, Toledo and Youngstown) Columbus reported the lowest rate of chlamydia infection of the statistical reporting group, with a rate of 914.1 infections per 100,000 people. Although Columbus has the lowest comparative rate, it has the highest number of infections in the state with 7,519 total reported infections in 2015 compared to 6,652 in 2014 in the city proper (excluding Franklin county areas outside of the city limits). From 2010-2015, this is the highest number of infections reported to the county health department.^3-4

Similarly, gonorrhea saw a year-over-year increase of new reported infections from 2014 to 2015, from 2,496 to 2,807 in Columbus alone. Of the nine most populous Ohio metropolitan areas, the rate of infection in Columbus ranks 8 out of 9, with numbers above those in Toledo. In Franklin County, the year with the most reported new infections from 2010-2015 was 2015 with 3,231. Regarding the rise of primary and secondary syphilis cases, the number of new infections increased from 5 to 30 between 2013 and 2014 in Columbus, compared to 158 total cases reported in 2013 and 230 cases reported in 2014 in all of Franklin County, including Columbus.

HIV in Columbus and Franklin County reported 215 cases in 2014 compared to 227 cases in 2013, down from 246 cases in 2012. Across the state of Ohio, 950 total new infections of HIV were reported to the Ohio Department of Health HIV/AIDS Surveillance Program in 2014, compared to 1,060 the year before.

STD Testing and Sexual Education in Columbus

Sexual education in Columbus public schools and across Ohio calls for call for medically accurate, age-appropriate education that both stresses abstinence and instructs on methods of prevention for sexually transmitted disease and teenage pregnancy. The curriculum also involves skills for the development of health relationships and the recognition of violence and other unhealthy behaviors in dating relationships. According to Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3313.60, all students enrolled in Columbus public schools must take part in this education, unless a parent supplies an opt-out letter on the student’s behalf to the district.^8-10

This comprehensive approach to sexual education has the potential to provide students with the knowledge they need to know the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and the right time to tested. Learning about the STD basics in a safe environment like a school classroom can ease the tension when a young adult faces a difficult situation on their own. Young women and women in Ohio (age 15-24) accounted for 69.2% of all chlamydia infections in 2015,³ which makes it even more important for all young men and women to get tested for STIs, many of which do not present with any symptoms. Discretion and privacy are at the top of the list when it comes to concerns about testing of this nature. Our service will never send an email reading “STD testing” to your inbox and our will not be listed as a line item on your bank statement.

STD Testing and Demographics in Columbus

As previously discussed, young people are one of the most highly impacted populations when it comes to the contraction and spread of sexually transmitted disease. In addition to 69.2% of all chlamydia cases affecting men and women ages 15-24 in Ohio, this age group also accounts for 54.9% of statewide gonorrhea cases as well.⁵ Regarding P&S syphilis cases, the most affected age group is once again the 15-24 population, with 266 new infections reported in Ohio in 2014 out of a total 561.⁶

In the case of chlamydia and gonorrhea, women report more infections than men, according to the Ohio Department of Health, STD Surveillance Program. In 2015, 71.2% of all chlamydia infections were reported in women, as were 53.9% of gonorrhea cases. Of the 561 P&S syphilis cases reported in Ohio in 2014, 484 were reported in men compared to 77 reported in women.^3-6

Regarding HIV infections in Columbus and across Ohio, 86% of new cases reported to the state in 2014 were by men, compared to 14% reported by women. The most common age group with new infections is 20-24 year olds, with 23%. African Americans had the highest rate of infection and number of cases with 34.6/100,000 and 493, respectively. African American males are the most impacted racial/age group in the state, claiming 43% of all infections.⁷

While rates of HIV are declining in the greater Columbus and Franklin County area, vigilance and testing are still key to attaining rates that lower year over year. Getting tested should be a simple elective option that’s also affordable for anyone in these at-risk communities and populations. Spreading the word about getting tested helps improve communal health and could greatly improve the lives of others.

Your Best Columbus STD Testing Option

Isn’t your free time better spent on something you enjoy, like an afternoon with family and friends in the German Village or at a concert at the Wexner Center of the Arts, rather than worrying about your STD status? Getting tested will help you breathe a sigh of relief, and STDtest.com offers an option that is fast, convenient and affordable. Get started by answering a few questions online or by calling the team of Care Advisors available 7 days a week from 6 AM – 10 PM CT.
These questions will yield an doctor-recommended panel of tests. After you receive your recommendation, you’ll choose a testing option. You can schedule a brief (usually 30 minutes or less) consultation at the lab nearest you to collect test samples, no appointment required. If available in your area, you can can get tested at home, work or another convenient location with In-Home Collection that same day with only an hour’s notice. 

For both options,  you will be able to access your results usually within three business days or less. The medical team is available to answer any questions you may have and to prescribe treatment if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.

References:

1 US Census Bureau of Statistics Quick Facts – Columbus and Franklin County
2 Ohio Chlamydia Cases Demographic Breakdown of Ohio Presented by Date of Diagnosis
3 Ohio Chlamydia Cases Presented by Date of Diagnosis
4 Ohio Gonorrhea Cases 2010 – 2014 Demographic Breakdown of Ohio Presented by Date of Diagnosis  
5 Ohio Gonorrhea Cases 2013 – 2015 Demographic Breakdown of Ohio Presented by Date of Diagnosis
6 Ohio Primary and Secondary Syphilis Cases 2010 – 2014 Demographic Breakdown of Ohio
7 Diagnoses of HIV and/or AIDS Reported in Ohio
8 Columbus City Schools High School Health Education Requirements
9 Senate Bill 101
10 House Bill 132