Long Beach, California is perfectly situated on the Pacific Ocean and is home to views and vistas that set it apart. The natural beauty of this Los Angeles County metropolis can be enjoyed at attractions like the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden. This bike-friendly city offers many paths and trails to treasure, but this city isn’t all sunshine and paradise.
From 2010 to 2013, the number of new HIV infections has seen an increase in the area, according to data from the California Department of Health.1 Getting tested for STDs might seem embarrassing or even taboo, but the benefits far outweigh the stress of wondering about a potential positive result. If you’re feel reluctant about calling your primary care physician about STD testing or feeling wary about venturing to the free clinic, STDTest.com offers an STD testing option that is fast, confidential and affordable. Read on to learn more.
Long Beach is part of the larger Los Angeles County, home to other world-famous municipalities like West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and more. There’s a wide diversity of races, incomes and religions in the Los Angeles county area – it’s far from being solely the home to the rich and famous. STD statistics in the region bring the perception of LA County life down to earth, and the situation in Long Beach is no exception.
Home to 473,577 residents,2 Long Beach saw increases in chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary (P&S syphilis) from 2013-2014.3-6 This increase in the reporting of sexually transmitted diseases in the area makes it even more important for anyone at risk to get tested. This includes people who have been with more than one partner over the last year, anyone who has been exposed to an STD and anyone sexually active who has never been tested before or is experiencing STD-like symptoms should get tested either periodically or annually. STDtest.com can make this daunting process simple, confidential and cost-effective.
According to reports released by the California Department of Health, chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis all saw an increase in both numbers and rates of infection from 2013 to 2014 in Long Beach. Starting with chlamydia, the most reported sexually transmitted disease both in Long Beach and the greater Los Angeles County area, the number of new infections reported by Long Beach residents rose from 2,422 in 2013 to 2,728 in 2014, with a rate of occurrence of 479.3 cases/100,000 in in 2014 compared to 479.3/100,000 in 2013. Gonorrhea in Long Beach saw an increase of 453 new infections reported in 2013 compared to 685 in 2014. This sexually transmitted disease saw a rate of diagnosis at 94.9 cases per 100,000 people in 2013 in comparison to a rate of 145.3/100,000 in 2014. Rounding out the most commonly reported bacterial infections in the Long Beach area, cases of P&S syphilis rose from 81 in 2013 to 90 in 2014.
HIV in Long Beach has seen an increase in the rate of infection in the years ranging from 2010-2013, with a rate of infection in Long Beach residents recorded at 325.3 cases per 100,000 in 2013 compared to 288.2/100,000 reported in 2010. As of 2013, 44,450 were living with AIDS in the greater Los Angeles County area.
Students in Los Angeles County, including public schools in Long Beach, take part in the mandatory Adolescent & School Health Unit, or ASH. The tenets of this curriculum include the prevention of teen pregnancy, STDs and HIV. This unit incorporates a multimedia a approach to discovering important lessons about better sexual health. For example, the “It’s Your Game” curriculum involves 24 lessons, 9 of which are completed on the computer, for a more well-rounded understanding of the risks and choices associated with sex, teen pregnancy, STDs and HIV/AIDS. This interactive education plan was developed by the UT Houston Prevention Research Center.7
California State Law also mandates an emphasis on providing students in the Long Beach, Los Angeles County and the state of California with the knowledge to make healthy decisions regarding teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive health, HIV and more. California school districts invest in a comprehensive sexual education model, which can be defined as a curriculum based on sexual education and HIV/AIDS prevention,in addition to life skills that support health development, relationships and decision making.8
This approach fosters an encouragement of understanding when it comes to adolescents taking responsibility of their sexual health. Teens and young adults account for nearly 10 million of the 20 million sexually transmitted diseases reported annually in the United States, so getting tested is a matter of great importance.9
The demographic distribution in Long Beach and the greater Los Angeles area varies greatly by age, disease and racial group. The most commonly reported STD in the Long Beach area is chlamydia, with a reported number of 2,422 infections in 2014. This sexually transmitted disease most commonly affects females in the area, with a distribution of 1,526 female infections compared to 885 male infections. Gonorrhea affects more males than females in the Long Beach statistical reporting area. According to the California Department of Health, of the 685 new incidences reported in 2014, 446 were attributed to the male population compared to 227 infections reported in females. Primary and secondary syphilis, currently on the rise in Long Beach, sees a male to female discrepancy of 88 infections reported in the former compared to 2 reported in the latter, of 90 total instances.4-6
In the greater Los Angeles County Area, the surrounding counties that account for the highest number of reported new diagnoses of HIV are Long Beach, Hollywood, West Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles. Although the African American population makes up only 9% of the total county population, this demographic group accounts for 22% of people living with AIDS in the area. The highest at-risk group for HIV and AIDS are men who have sex with men (MSM), accounting for nearly 72% of all HIV infections, a trend that is consistent with other major metropolitan areas across the US. Males are far more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than females, with this demographic group reporting 88% of all new infections in the greater Los Angeles County area.1
Many STDs present without any symptoms, making it imperative for any at-risk populations to get tested regularly. For example, the CDC recommends yearly testing for sexually active women under the age of 25, and for young gay and bisexual men to get tested periodically as well as enroll in a PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) treatment program to help slow the spread of disease.10 & 11
Isn’t your free time better spent lounging on the Long Beach Waterfront than stressing about getting tested for STDs? STDTest.com offers a fast, convenient and professional option that saves time and potentially, even some money. Get started by answering a few brief questions to receive your personalized doctor-recommended panel of tests. Next, you’ll select a testing location. You can choose a lab nearest you out of our network of thousands. No appointments are necessary and same day testing is available. 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 notified of your results usually within three business days or less. Our medical team is available to discuss any follow up questions or even to prescribe additional treatment, if appropriate and allowed by state law. It’s that simple. Get tested. It’s for your better health.