Enjoy the charms of Hartford, like the gardens at Wickham Park, rather than feeling the weight of the stressful decision to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. According to the CDC, all STDs can be treated and many can be cured, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis. ⁷ Those that can’t be cured, like HIV, some forms of viral hepatitis and herpes 1 & 2 can be managed with the proper treatment regimen. However, to get connected with a long-term care plan, a diagnosis is needed to confirm. With cures and a variety of treatment options available compared to serious complications that can arise with STDs left untreated, the responsible step to take control of your sexual health is to get screened for these infections, especially if you are at risk. ^8-10

Any sexually active person who has never been tested before, anyone who very recently had unprotected sex or anyone who knows they have been exposed to an STI should be tested as soon as possible. Other high-risk groups for the transmission of these conditions include sexually active young adults, bisexual, gay and men who have sex with men (MSM) and certain minority groups. The CDC recommends that all sexually active women under the age of 25 get tested yearly for chlamydia, since this group in particular is at high risk for the condition. Getting tested and treated as soon as possible helps to limit the spread of disease not just in the greater Hartford area, but in the state of Connecticut and all throughout the United States.⁷

STD Test Statistics in Hartford, CT

The most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in the Hartford, Connecticut area is chlamydia, with 1,659 new infections reported in 2013 compared to 1,666 in 2014. Following chlamydia with the number of cases reported to the Connecticut Department of Health is gonorrhea, with 541 new infections in 2013, followed by 398 in 2014, a 26.4% decrease in the Hartford area. From 2011-2014, the highest number of new chlamydia infections was reported in 2011 and the highest number of gonorrhea cases was reported in 2013, with 1,851 and 541 new diagnoses, respectively.^2-5

Another sexually transmitted disease on the rise in the Hartford and Hartford County area is primary and secondary (P&S), with 13 new infections reported in 2014 compared to 6 in 2013. While this sexually transmitted disease is reported in numbers far less than chlamydia and gonorrhea, it can lead to severe medical consequences if left untreated. It can lead to ocular syphilis, neurosyphilis and congenital syphilis, a condition that can be passed from mother to child that potentially results in serious medical complications for the child, including death.¹¹. The rate of HIV in Hartford county is currently on the decline, with 28 new diagnoses reported in 2014 compared to 49 in 2013. A simple, effective way to lower the rate of STDs in Hartford is to get tested and take action once you know the results.

STD Testing and Sexual Education in Hartford

The Connecticut Department of Education and by extension, Hartford administrators, are mandated by law to present comprehensive sexual education curriculum that is age-appropriate and medically accurate in all public school institutions. To support a comprehensive approach, further defined as students being provided with exemplary knowledge on topics such as human development, facts and prevention methods of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy. Other facets of comprehensive sexual education includes opening up the dialogue between parents, educators and students, exposure to helpful resources in the community, as well as self-esteem building skills that help to inform healthy decision-making patterns.¹²

By providing students with the information they need to make the best possible choices to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy is a proactive choice for the Connecticut Public Schools to make, especially because young people ages 15-24 account for nearly 10 million of the 20 million sexually transmitted diseases estimated each year in the United States. Curbing this number relies on education, information and anyone at risk getting tested.¹³ For anyone over the age of 18, STDtest.com’s discreet service makes it simple, affordable and stress-free to get the testing they need and any treatment, if medically appropriate. While this service is confidential, it is not anonymous.

STD Testing and Demographics in Hartford

Across the state of Connecticut, African American women ages 20-24 account for the highest number and rate of chlamydia cases in 2014, with 614 and 4,109 infections per 100,000, respectively. The highest numbers of chlamydia are reported in women in Hartford, with 2,785 reported by the state in 2014. Regarding gonorrhea, 577 total infections were reported in men compared to 561 in women in 2014.

Men are also at higher risk for contracting the HIV virus, accounting for 72.9% of infections in 2014 in the state of Connecticut. The age group reporting the highest number of infections is the 20-29 population, followed by 30-39 year olds. The highest risk community for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is men who have sex with men (MSM), reporting 46.4% of all new HIV infections in the state of Connecticut in 2014. Reaching out to at-risk communities to encourage testing and, if positive, a link to treatment is an essential aim of the National HIV/AIDS strategy, a plan to help lower and eventually eliminate the presence of the virus across the United States.^17-18

Your Best Hartford STD Testing Option

Why not spend more time doing something you enjoy in Hartford, like a visit with family and friends to Bushnell Park, rather than feeling stressed and overwhelmed about your sexual health status? Get the answers you need in a timeframe that works for you with STDtest.com.

Get started by answering a brief medical questionnaire online or by phone to receive your doctor-recommended panel of tests, customized to your personal history and symptoms. Next, you’ll choose a testing option. You can choose a lab from a national network of thousands for a short (usually 30 minutes or less) to get your test samples collected. No appointment is needed for lab visits, and same-day testing is often available. If available in your area, you can get tested at home, work or another convenient location with In-Home Collection.

For both options, results are usually available in three business days or less. The medical team is available for a follow-up consult to discuss your diagnosis, answer any remaining questions and even 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 Quick Facts – Hartford city and County, CT
2 Rate of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Primary and Secondary Syphilis Cases Reported by Town, Connecticut, 2011
3 Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Primary and Secondary Syphilis Cases Reported by Connecticut, 2012
4 CY2013 Town Table: Reported STD Cases, Connecticut
5 Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Primary and Secondary Syphilis Cases Reported by City Connecticut, 2014
6 Connecticut Department of Public Health HIV Surveillance Program Hartford HIV Infection Cases by Year of Diagnosis, Sex, Race, and Risk
7 The Lowdown on How to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases
8 CDC – HIV/AIDS Treatment
9 CDC Facts – Viral Hepatitis
10 CDC – Genital Herpes Treatment and Care
11 Syphilis – CDC Fact Sheet
12 Guidelines for the Sexual Health Education Component of Comprehensive Health Education
13 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Infections Among Young Americans
14 Chlamydia Case Rates Reported by Age Group and Race/Ethnicity and Sex Group Connecticut, 2014
15 Gonorrhea Case Rates Reported by Age Group and Race/Ethnicity and Sex Group Connecticut, 2014
16 Syphilis Case Rates Reported by Race/Ethnicity and Sex Connecticut, 2007 – 2014
17 Connecticut HIV Statistics Through 2014
18 National HIV/AIDS Strategy