Getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases can feel embarrassing or even shameful, but it doesn’t have to be. With same-day testing and results available in usually three business days or less, this simple, confidential and convenient process helps to relieve some of the stress associated with STD testing. A dedicated team of Care Advisors is available 7 days a week from 6 am-10 pm CT to answer questions you may have and to guide you each step of the way. Especially with a medical matter as sensitive as STD testing, it’s important to know you’re not alone.

With rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis continuing to climb in Louisville, Jefferson County and across the state of Kentucky,³ it’s essential for the better community health for those at risk to get tested. This population includes any sexually active person who has not been tested before, anyone engaged in unprotected sex, anyone with more than one partner in the last year, anyone who is in a relationship with a positive partner, or anyone who knows they have been exposed to an STD and more. Demographic populations typically at risk include teenagers and young adults, gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men (MSM), and certain minority groups.⁴

STD Test Statistics in Louisville, KY

The highest reported sexually transmitted disease in the state of Kentucky is chlamydia, however, its numbers continue to decrease year over year. In 2014, a rate of 402.2 infections per 100,000 residents was reported, compared to 391.2/100,000 the year before. According to the 2014 National STD Surveillance Report, Kentucky ranked 33rd out of 50 states for reported number of chlamydia infections. Gonorrhea infections continue to rise in the area, moving from a rate of infection of 98.5/100,000 in 2013 to 111/100,000, making it the 27th state in the nation for the number of reported gonorrhea infections in 2014.^2-5

In 2014, the number primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis rate raised from 2.8/100,000 the year before to 6/100,000. As of the most current CDC reporting, Kentucky ranks 30th for its number of primary and secondary syphilis cases. Yet another common sexually transmitted disease that continues to increase in prevalence Louisville, with 4,227 new infections reported in 2015 compared to 4,153 in 2014. Across the country, the state ranks 26th for the number of new HIV infections reported that year.^2-5

STD Testing and Sexual Education in Louisville, KY

The state of sexual education in Louisville and throughout the state of Kentucky is based upon traditional values. Until as recently as 1997, the funding provided for sexual education in the state mandated the instruction of an “Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage” curriculum model. This method of instruction limits the conversation around the real-life risks and associated with sex before marriage, making it more difficult for students to make the best decisions for their health when faced with a difficult situation. More recently, Kentucky seems to have updated their sexual education policies. According to the Guttmacher Institute report on state-by-state policies of sex and HIV education, the state requires that all public schools provides both sex ed and HIV/AIDS curriculum. The report claims that Kentucky is now an “abstinence-cover” state as opposed to an “abstinence-stress” state, meaning that sexual education taught in public school requires a wider definition of preventive and contraceptive methods.^6&7

With teenagers and young adults age 15-24 accounting for nearly half of the estimated 20 million sexually transmitted diseases each year in the United States, knowing the facts and getting tested is a smart way to protect against these common infections. All STDs can be treated and many can be cured, like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis. However, left untreated, they can cause more serious complications, like infertility. Make it a simple choice for young people at risk. Spread the word about getting tested for STDs.⁸

STD Testing and Demographics in Louisville

The demographic distribution of sexually transmitted disease and Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Louisville and the greater reaches of the state of Kentucky affects the varied population segments in different ways. For example, women are 2.4 times more likely to contract chlamydia in Kentucky than men. Of the women affected by this STI in this area, the age group demonstrating the highest numbers of infection are age 15-19. Of all the women affected by gonorrhea in Kentucky in 2015, 20-24 year-olds saw the highest number of diagnosis.⁹

Regarding HIV infections, the highest-risk community for new diagnoses is men who have sex with men (MSM), accounting for 69% of new infections. This is compared to heterosexual transmission, which saw 19.9% of new infections reported in 2015. The racial/ethnic group most impacted by the spread of HIV infections is the Caucasian population, accounting for 56.6% of new HIV cases. Spreading the word about getting tested to these high-risk populations and subsequently linked to treatment if appropriate is an integral aim of the national strategy for lowering and eliminating HIV and AIDS in the United States.¹⁰

Your Best Louisville STD Testing Option

Isn’t your free time better spent with family and friends enjoying an afternoon at Churchill Downs rather than feeling stressed and concerned about your sexual health status? Getting tested for STDs can be simple, convenient, confidential and affordable, and STDtest.com works with you for the best possible experience. To get started, answer 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 location most convenient for your from a network of thousands for a brief visit (usually 30 minutes or less) to get your tests samples collected. If available in your area, you can get tested at home, work or anywhere you choose with In-Home Collection.

For both options, results are usually available in 3 business days or less. The medical team is available for a follow up consult to discuss your diagnosis, answer any questions or 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 – Louisville and Jefferson County, KY
2 Kentucky HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report June 2015
3 CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2014
4 The Lowdown on How to Prevent STDs
5 Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia Rates Rising for First Time in Years
6 Kentucky Sexuality Education Law and Policy
7 Guttmacher Institute State Policies in Brief – Sex and HIV Education
8  CDC – Sexually Transmitted Infections in Young Americans
9 Kentucky – 2015 State Health Profile
10 National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States