Whether you’re hopping from bar to bar on Broadway or grabbing a trendy bite to eat in The Gulch, the sweet Southern amiability of this city is felt all around. Nashville serves as the home base for country music’s elite, and the inviting vibe of Music City is felt by its residents. The city proper and the greater Davidson County area has also seen an increase of three commonly reported sexually transmitted diseases, chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis.1-3
With STIs on the rise, it’s important for everyone in Nashville to know the best options for getting tested. There are different resources available in the metropolitan area, including free clinics and your primary care physician. STDtest.com offers an alternative that coordinates with your schedule.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 678,000 people live in Nashville, making it a modest city with larger-than-life personality.4 With live concerts going on all over town any given evening, Nashville brings the party, along legendary BBQ and other Southern favorites. In a town with high spirits like Nashville, it’s important to bring the conversation back down to earth when it comes to matters as crucial as STD testing. For a variety of reasons, hesitation can play a factor in getting tested, even with patients at risk.
STD testing should be confidential, efficient and cost-affordable. Don’t let wait time be a deterrent when you schedule a same-day visit at our network of thousands of labs across the country. You can be in and out in thirty minutes or less, leaving you to enjoy the rest of your free time. The prevalence of HIV infections in Davidson county is 2nd in the state following Shelby County and Memphis,5 so getting informed and taking action to get tested is an important step in improving community public health.
STD rates in Nashville have increased for common bacterial sexually transmitted infections including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, according to reports from the Tennessee Department of Health. From 2013 to 2014, the number of new infections reported in Nashville and Davidson County went from 4,000 to 4,380. It is the most commonly reported STD in the area.1 & 4
Gonorrhea rates increased from 1,293 new infections reported in 2013 to 1,325 in 2014. However, gonorrhea trends continue to be unstable and rise and fall with frequency. For example, the number of gonorrhea cases reported in 2011 were 2,243 and in 2012, 1,314 were recorded. This proximity in increase and decrease of infection could potentially suggest a more stable level in the future. Primary and secondary syphilis (P&S) is the least commonly reported STD to the health department. In 2014, 58 new cases were reported compared to 45 in 2013. 2, 3 & 6
One sexually transmitted disease on the decline according to recent reports is the rate of new HIV infections. 159 new cases were reported in 2014 compared to 181 in 2013. This decrease is another indicator of the possibility of stabilization, with a similar statistical pattern to gonorrhea (slight increases and slight decreases over a few years).7
The continued rise of several STDs in the area makes it that more important for any Nashville residents at risk to get tested. The most common symptoms for a variety of these manageable, even curable diseases are no symptoms at all. If you have never been tested, you’ve been with multiple partners over the past year, or if you are concerned you’ve been exposed to an STD, invite in peace of mind by getting tested today.
The state of sexual education in Nashville, Tennessee can be characterized as far from comprehensive. According to state law, sexual education is not mandated in schools unless it adheres to a specific condition. If the state rate of teen pregnancy for young women age 15-17 exceeds 19.5%, all public school systems will then be required to administer sex ed curriculum. Until then, only HIV is required to be taught to the general student population, as well as a stress on abstinence and no sex outside of marriage. School districts do not distribute condoms in accordance with state law.8
Tennessee’s election for conditional sexual education of its students can send a message of misinformation to its emerging younger generation. Nationwide, the most common age demographic for STDs is 18-24, according to the CDC.9 Without proper knowledge of how to protect themselves and a lack of expressed symptoms, passing on STDs is made easier.
Providing information about STD testing options can alleviate the stigma of getting tested. In the case of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis, all of these STDs have cured and most others can be managed with medicine. The risks of waiting to get tested outweigh the benefits of staying in the dark.
Similar to other large metropolitan areas, the number of African Americans impacted by sexually transmitted disease is disproportionate. According to reports from the Tennessee Department of Health, 61% of all new HIV infections reported in 2014 were in African Americans. In the male and female populations, 59% of new infections were reported in African American males, and 80% of all female infections were attributed to this section of the population.7
This trend translates across trends reported for chlamydia, gonorrhea and P&S syphilis. Of the 4,380 reported chlamydia cases in Nashville and Davidson County, African Americans accounted for 2,856. Of the 1,325 gonorrhea cases, this group was diagnosed with 958 new infections. Lastly, in the case of P&S cases, African Americans accounted for 34 of 58 new infections.1-3 & 6
Other demographic trends continue to model those of other diverse metropolitan areas. Females account for more chlamydia infections than men, gonorrhea is more commonly diagnosed in men than in women. The highest risk group for contracting HIV is men who have sex with men (MSM), with 74.2% of all reported infections aligning with this demographic.
Everyone loves to kick up their boots and have a grand old time in Nashville, but it’s also important to think how health can fit into the equation. Getting tested is an essential first step for treatment and diagnosis, and STDtest.com works to make this process as simple, professional and stress-free as possible. By answering a few brief questions, you’ll receive a doctor-recommended panel of tests. From there, you can select the same-day testing option that works best for you, whether it be at home, work, a lab or another convenient location of your choice. You’ll be notified of your results usually within three business days or less. For any follow up questions you have, our medical team is available to answer them, help connect you with further local care or even prescribe treatment if appropriate or allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.