Henderson and the greater Clark County area is home to 2.14 million residents,² as well as plenty of Vegas-style entertainment. As the number of sexually transmitted infections in the area continues to grow, the stress increases for anyone at risk to get tested and, if positive, get linked to care. Determining the risk factors is especially important. Anyone sexually active who has ever been tested, anyone who just had unprotected sex and anyone who has been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease should get tested as soon as possible. Certain populations are at high risk and should get tested yearly or periodically, like sexually active women under the age of 25 and older women with risk factors for chlamydia.³

Getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases can feel embarrassing or even shameful, but it doesn’t need to be. According to the CDC, all STDs can be treated and many can be cured, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis. However, left untreated, these commonly reported conditions can become far more serious, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), epididymitis and even infertility. A positive test result can lead to treatment or a cure, while denial can result in major medical issues.^4&5 Getting tested is the smart solution. Also, most STDs present without any symptoms, making it easier to pass the infection from one partner to another without anyone knowing.

STD Test Statistics in Henderson, NV

According to the most recent reports released by the Southern Nevada Health District, home to Clark County metropolitan statistical area, chlamydia is the sexually transmitted disease reported with the most frequency in the area. Although it is the most reported STI in Henderson and the greater Clark County area, from 2014 to 2015, it experienced a slight decrease in the number of infections, with 10,145 reported in 2014 compared to 10,002 in 2015. Conversely, gonorrhea in this area reports increasing numbers of infection, with 2,762 in 2014 compared to 2,955 in 2015. From 2013 to to 2015, the total number of gonorrhea infections saw a 23.1% increase.¹

Compared to chlamydia and gonorrhea, syphilis reports far lower numbers, both in Clark County and across the country. However, left untreated, this sexually transmitted disease can lead to potentially severe medical consequences including ocular syphilis, neurosyphilis and congenital syphilis, a serious condition passed from mother to child that can result in birth defects and even fetal death.⁶ In Clark County, 273 new primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis cases were reported in 2015 compared to 269 in 2014. In Henderson and Clark County, the number of rate of HIV infection continues to climb, with 314 cases in 2015 compared to 296 in 2014.¹

STD Testing and Sexual Education in Henderson, NV

In Clark County schools, sexual education is abstinence-based, meaning that abstinence is stressed as the only 100% effective method of preventing sexually transmitted disease, HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy. According to the Guttmacher Institute’s report on state-by-state HIV and sexual education policies, the state of Nevada mandates both sex ed and HIV education in its schools. It requires age-appropriate curriculum, but does not make explicit note of medically-accurate curriculum as standard practice throughout the state’s K-12 public school institutions.^7&

While abstinence is an important lesson in comprehensive sexual education, when students don’t have all the facts and resources available to them, like various contraceptive methods, the incidence rate of sexually transmitted diseases among the youth population of Henderson and the Clark County area is likely to rise. In the United States, nearly 10 million of the 20 million sexually transmitted diseases reported each year is attributed to the 15-24 age group.⁹Providing young people with the information they need to make healthy choices no matter what is an effective method of lowering the rise of infections in this age group.

STD Testing and Demographics in Henderson, NV

In Henderson, Las Vegas and across the state of Nevada, the demographic distribution of sexually transmitted diseases depends on a variety of factors. In Clark County, the number of chlamydia cases continues to rise, with the female rate exceeding males by nearly 4,000 cases, according to the 2012 Clark County Health Assessment. In Clark County, the total number of male syphilis cases is just below the average number across the state of Nevada.¹⁰

In the state of Nevada, 84% of the reported HIV infections are attributed to men as of 2012, according to AIDSVu. The highest-risk group for infection is men who have sex with men (MSM) with 78% of reported infections in the state. Regarding women reporting sexually transmitted infections, 74% were a result of heterosexual contact. Reaching out to these groups who at a high risk for infection and spreading the word about testing and getting linked to treatment is an integral aim of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, a plan developed by the US government to slow down the spread and eventually eliminate HIV and AIDS in America.^11&12

Your Best Henderson STD Testing Option

Spend more time in Henderson engaged in what you enjoy, like a great day with family and friends hiking Black Mountain, rather than feeling stressed or overwhelmed by your unknown STD status? Getting started with STDtest.com is simple. By answering a brief medical questionnaire online or by phone, you’ll receive a doctor-recommended panel of tests customized to your personal history and symptoms. You’ll then choose a testing sample collection option, either at a lab conveniently located near you or, where available, a lab technician can come to your door. Visiting a lab requires no appointment, and for both options, same-day testing is available. Once your samples are collected, 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 or if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.

References:

1 Clark County Disease Statistics December 2015
2 United States Census Bureau Quick Facts – Henderson and Clark County, NV
3 CDC – Chlamydia Fact Sheet
4 Health Risks of STDs for Women
5 Epididymitis
6 Syphilis – CDC Fact Sheet
7 Clark County School District Sex Education Operational Guide for K-12 Curriculum Development
8 State Policies on Sexual Education in Schools
9 Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Young Americans
10 Clark County Community Health Status Assessment
11 AIDSVu – Las Vegas and Nevada
12 National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States