El Paso is a sensational Texas city on the border of Mexico, representing a festive mix of cultures and traditions. Whether you’re spending time at the Franklin Mountains State Park or dining on delicious and authentic Tex-Mex, this sweltering-hot Texas city has plenty to offer. El Paso is also subject to rising rates of sexually transmitted disease, with HIV infections and cases of primary and secondary syphilis currently increasing. Getting tested for STDs is an effective way to stop the spread of disease. Getting tested at the doctor’s office can mean scheduling an appointment weeks in advance and the waiting room at a free clinic can be crowded. STDtest.com offers a different option with the same FDA-approved tests that is additionally fast, convenient and discreet. Read on to learn more about this STD testing option in El Paso.
Variety is the spice of life in downtown El Paso and throughout the greater El Paso County, an area home to over 835,000 residents. It’s rich historical past offers some stunning sites to visit today, including the Magoffin Homestead, as well as quirkier spots like the sombrero-shaped Abraham Chavez Theater. Staying on top of sexual health in this western Texas metropolis is greatly assisted by spreading the word about STD prevention, testing and treatment. According to the CDC, many STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, go unreported to local health authorities, making it more difficult to slow the spread of disease. Especially for groups disproportionately at risk, like adolescents and young adults and gay and bisexual men, getting tested for STDs is a simple way to take control of personal and communal sexual health.4
STD testing should be simple, not stressful or embarrassing. Our service works with you to provide the screening you need and the convenience you want. If you’re feeling hesitant, not sure about the tests recommended for you, or have any questions at all, a dedicated team of Care Advisors is available 7 days a week from 6 AM – 10 PM CT to address your concerns and help guide you each step of the way. All STDs can be treated and many can be cured.5 If a positive diagnosis is your fear, our medical team can connect you with a local physician for follow up or even prescribe care, if medically appropriate and permitted by state law. In the case of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis, the treatment will lead to a cure. Break down the barriers to healthcare and get tested if you’re at risk.
El Paso County accounts for the 6th highest number of chlamydia infections in the state, preceded by such populous counties as Travis (Austin), Tarrant (Fort Worth), Bexar (San Antonio), Dallas and Harris County (Houston) with the most numerous infections in it’s metropolitan statistical area. By comparison, El Paso reported 4,992 infections in 2014 compared to 24,234 in Harris County. The number and rate of chlamydia infection in El Paso County in 2014 continues to decline, with 5,100 new cases reported in 2013 compared to the 4,992 in 2014. In the city of El Paso (county areas not incorporated into the city limits excluded), 4,551 new chlamydia infections were reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services.2
El Paso County reported the 9th largest number of gonorrhea infections across the state of Texas in 2014. The number and rate of new infections in this area demonstrates a year-over-year decrease as of the most recent reporting, with 679 diagnoses in 2014 compared to 728 in 2013. 911 cases were reported in 2012, the highest number of infections between 2010 and 2014 in El Paso County. Primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis infections are slightly on the rise in El Paso, with 30 infections in 2014 compared to 25 in 2013.2 HIV infections also continue to increase according to state disease reporting records, citing 109 2014 new diagnoses compared with 116 the year before.1 Getting tested and linked to care for these commonly reported STIs is crucial to perpetuating downward trends and slowing the increase of any infections showing growth in the overall population.
Sexual education, as it is outlined by the El Paso Independent School District (ISD), focuses on “Abstinence-Stress” model and is aligned with more traditional values. Sexual education is not mandated by the state of Texas, and if an ISD chooses to instruct this curriculum, it is required to “devote more attention to abstinence than to any other behavior” when discussing HIV/AIDS, STDs and teen pregnancy. Most of the guidelines detailing this facet of youth education in the area make abstinence the focal point, rather than highlighting alternative methods of contraception. Condoms are not to be distributed in the confines of public school. As with many sexual education programs across the country, parents of El Paso County students need to be notified of sexual education programming and reserve the right to opt-out their students.6
This approach to sexual education is less than comprehensive. As defined by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, comprehensive sexual education incorporates age-appropriate, medically accurate instruction covering a multitude of topics ranging from HIV/AIDS and STD facts and prevention, teen pregnancy and contraceptives, the role of abstinence and its effectiveness in preventing both disease and unintended pregnancy. Also integral to comprehensive sexual education curriculum is the development of healthy relationship behaviors, avoiding unhealthy or abusive behaviors in dating relationships and strong self-esteem in students.7 This approach both informs students and helps to provide confidence in making healthy choices for their better health, sexually and emotionally. With teens at risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases in El Paso and all across the country, knowing vital information can help improve the better health of the community.
Across the state of Texas, the demographic distribution of sexually transmitted disease varies by a several factors, one distinctively being gender. The state numbers show a high disparity between the number of men and women reporting new chlamydia infections in 2014. Of the 128,036 new infections, 96,581 were reported in women compared to 33,273 in men. In the instance of gonorrhea, 48.9% of all 34,436 were reported in women, demonstrating a smaller gender gap. Primary and secondary syphilis infects are larger number of men than women, with this demographic group accounting for 85.3% of all 2014 infections. Males are also more likely to be impacted by HIV, accounting for 81.3% of all 2014 diagnoses across the state of Texas.1&2
Minority groups are at a high risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases in numbers disproportionate to their population within communities across the state. For example, 35.2% of all 2014 chlamydia infections are attributed to the Hispanic population. New gonorrhea infections in Texas saw a report of 38.7% of cases by Hispanics. The racial/ethnic group with the most reports of primary and secondary syphilis is the Hispanic demographic group, as well, with 33% of all 2014 infections. Regarding HIV, the racial/ethnic group with the highest rate of HIV infection in 2014 are African Americans, with 50.8 new infections per 100,000 residents, according to the most recent reports published by the Texas Department of State of Health Services.1&2 Spreading the word about HIV and STD testing in these at-risk population is vital for lowering the rate of communicable disease in El Paso, Texas and throughout the United States.
Spend time doing more of what you enjoy in El Paso, like a fun day with family and friends at Magic Landing, rather than letting the stress of unanswered questions about your STD status weigh you down. Getting started with STDtest.com is simple. Online or by phone, answer a brief medical questionnaire to receive your doctor-recommended panel of tests. After that, you’ll select a testing option. You can choose a local lab from thousands of national locations to collect your test samples, no appointment required. If available in your area, you can can get tested at home, work or another convenient location that same day with In-Home Collection.
For both options, results are usually available in three business days or less. The medical team is available afterward to discuss your diagnosis, answer any lingering questions or even to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.