Life in Laredo and Webb County in Southwest Texas is a classic mix of the old-world and the new, a true Wild West territory complete with shooting ranges and saloons. This metropolitan area is home to nearly 270,000 residents and this community continues to see rising numbers and rates of sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia, gonorrhea and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).1-3
Knowing the facts about STDs, what prevention options are available and when to get tested play important roles in improving the community health of Laredo and Webb County residents. If you’re feeling hesitant about waiting weeks to get into your primary care physician’s office for testing or feeling wary of what could be a crowded waiting room at a free clinic, STDtest.com offers a different alternative. Using the same FDA-approved tests and medical-industry standards for privacy, this fast and affordable option is tailored to your individual schedule. Read on to learn more.
What are the barriers holding you or those you love from getting tested for STDs? If a concern of shame, embarrassment or any stigma surrounding this personal diagnostic testing procedure is keeping you from determining your status, let this confidential service help to ease your burden. While this service is discreet, it is not anonymous. All patients are required to provide accurate identification and medical information when it is asked of them at any point in the process.
It’s also important to remember that you’re never alone in this process, even if you don’t feel like sharing your decision to get tested with your family and friends. However, it should be stated, if you do test positive for a sexually transmitted disease, it is imperative to inform any sexual partners who may have been exposed to the infection. A dedicated team of Care Advisors is available 7 days a week from 6am-10pm to address your questions and help guide you through this experience to make it as simple and stress-free as possible from start to finish. With Webb County ranking within the top 25 in the state for instances of HIV (16th), chlamydia (20th) and total syphilis (15th).1-2 STD testing is an effective way to make progress at lowering these numbers.
Chlamydia is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted disease in Laredo and Webb County, with 1,259 new infections reported countywide in 2014. This reveals an increase from 2013, with 1,079 new cases reported in the metropolitan statistical area. Similarly, gonorrhea infections saw an uptick in 2014 compared to 2013, with 98 and 86 infections recorded respectively. From 2010-2014, the highest number of chlamydia infections reported was 2014 with 1,259 diagnoses. The highest reported number of gonorrhea cases seen between the years of 2010 and 2014 was 2014, with 98 total infections.
One STI currently on the decline in the Webb County area is primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis, reporting 1 new infection in 2014 compared to 2 in 2013. HIV in Laredo and Webb County continues to increase, according to the latest reports released by the Texas Department of State Health Services, with 36 new infections in 2014, preceded by 30 the year before. Spreading the word about risks associated with sex and the right time to get tested for various sexually transmitted diseases is essential for the continued efforts of local, state and national health departments for linking their positive patients to treatment, thus lowering the prevalence of these diseases.2&3
Traditionally, sexual education in Laredo, Webb County and across the state of Texas centered on an “Abstinence-Only” or “Abstinence-Stress” curriculum model. To expand, any mention of sexual relationships, the prevention of sexually transmitted disease and unintended pregnancy should be re-directed to the concept that abstinence is the safest and most preferred behavior. According to the Guttmacher Report detailing state-by-state the requirements for sexual education and HIV education across the country, Texas does not mandate any specific form of sexual education or HIV prevention education in its system of Independent School Districts. With issues like major chlamydia outbreaks occurring in Texas high schools, this lack of information about how to safeguard against STDs can potentially cause more issues than it solves.4&5
Young people (ages 15-24) account for 68.7% of all combined cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary syphilis combined across the state of Texas as of 2014.1&2 This statistic reveals that teens are disproportionately at risk, with an evident observation that not all teens in Texas are abstaining from sex. Across the country, this age group is particularly vulnerable, accounting for nearly 10 million of the 20 million sexually transmitted diseases reported annual across the country.6 Removing the shame and starting the tough conversations about testing and treatment could pave the way for a healthier future for the young people of Laredo.
The demographic distribution of sexually transmitted disease in across the state of Texas differs depending on the disease, gender, age, racial and/or ethnic group, and other similar variables. Women across the state of Texas are affected by the spread of chlamydia more than men, reporting 75.1% of all infections in 2014, compared to men, reporting 25.9%. Texas reported numbers of gonorrhea infections that aren’t quite as disparate in men and women as those seen in the instance of chlamydia. Men see much higher numbers of HIV and primary and secondary syphilis diagnoses, with 81.3% of all HIV infections and 85.4% of all primary and secondary syphilis infections reported in men.2&3
In the state of Texas, the racial/ethnic group attributed to the highest number of chlamydia infections in 2014 was the Hispanic population, with 45,514 infections, compared to the next most prevalent group, African Americans, reporting 30,188 infections that year. Gonorrhea infections affect the African American population most significantly, with this demographic group accounting for 38.7% of gonorrhea infections across the state. African Americans experience the highest rate of infection when it comes to HIV diagnoses, accounting for 50.8 cases per 100,000 residents. Regarding the number of new HIV infections, African Americans and Hispanics saw nearly identical numbers of infection, with 1,649 and 1.650 respectively. The demographic group with the majority of primary and secondary syphilis cases is the African American population, representing 36.6% of total infections in 2014 in Texas. The continued testing and treatment of these various sexually transmitted diseases helps to raise awareness for those in high-risk populations and underserved populations across the state and even across the country.2&3
Dedicate more of your free time what you love in Laredo, like a visit with family and friends to the Lake Casa Blanca State Park, rather than feeling stressed and worried about your STD status. STDtest.com a fast, confidential and affordable service, and it’s simple to get started. By answering a few brief questions online or by phone, you’ll receive a doctor-recommended panel of STD tests, customized to your sexual history and symptoms. After that, you’ll select the lab location most convenient for you from a national network of thousands. The visit to collect your test samples usually lasts a half hour or less and no appointment is required. Once your test 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 questions you might have or even to prescribe follow up treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.