You know you’re in Oklahoma City when you stop by the American Banjo Museum. The capital of Oklahoma is known nationally for the memorial commemorating the events at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, and is also home to the thriving downtown district of Bricktown. In 2011, Oklahoma ranked 4th in the nation (Washington D.C. included) for the highest rate of teen pregnancy according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.1 In addition, the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area including Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Lincoln, Logan, McClain and Oklahoma counties, accounts for 34.5% of all sexually transmitted diseases in the state.2
With staggering statistics like these, residents of Oklahoma City should have the facts for all options available to get tested. Waiting weeks to get in for an appointment with a primary care physician or waiting in line for unspecified time at a free clinic can make STD testing a more lengthy process. Read on and learn more about on-demand, same-day testing with results delivered usually within three business days or less.
Oklahoma City offers many different attractions that locals love to frequent just as much as tourists, like the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Dining on a typical southern meal of catfish is common in the capital. Also common in Oklahoma City is the prevalence of STIs. In the OKC MSA, the amount of reported chlamydia infections accounts for 35.1% of all reported infections statewide. Getting tested is an important step in improving the sexual health of Oklahoma City residents.2
Ask yourself: what currently stands in your way of getting an STD test? Is it the shame of requesting a panel from your primary care doctor? Do you worry about the wait time at a free clinic? Do you want to keep the ordeal as private as possible? STDTest.com is an innovative, fast, confidential and affordable option for STD testing. All that’s needed to get started are the answers to a few brief questions. You will then receive a doctor-recommended panel of tests, customized to your symptoms and circumstances. You can set up a test time at a lab from a nationwide network of thousands that is most convenient for you. Same-day testing without an appointment is a common option. The test sample collection typically takes 30 minutes or less. You’ll be notified of your test results usually within three business days or less. It’s simple, affordable and professional. It’s for your health.
The most commonly reported STD in Oklahoma City and the greater MSA is chlamydia, a common trend witnessed across the US. In 2014, Oklahoma County, where Oklahoma City serves as the county seat, 4,993 cases of chlamydia were diagnosed, with a rate of 651.6 infections per 100,000 people. In the greater MSA, 7,291 total cases were reported in 2014, 2.4% higher than the rest of the state average.
Gonorrhea in Oklahoma City is reported in numbers 11.9% higher than the rest of state. These infections account for 38.6% of all cases reported across the state. The greater OKC MSA reported 2,366 new cases of gonorrhea compared to 1,852 in the Oklahoma County area alone. There were 91 reported cases of syphilis in 2014, accounting for nearly 60.3% of infections in the state.
48.8% of all positive HIV infections reported through 2014 are linked to Oklahoma City, according to reports from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. From 1984-2014, 1,454 cases were reported in the MSA compared to 1,109 reported in the Oklahoma City metro area. In 2014, 311 cases of HIV were reported in Oklahoma, with 150 attributed to the OKC MSA.3 As the leader of reported sexually transmitted diseases in the state with large margins, it is up to individuals in the area to get tested and treated, if appropriate. STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea most often present without any symptoms, so anyone at risk should get tested to help stop the further spread of disease and for their own better sexual health.
Oklahoma’s teen pregnancy rate is one of the highest in the nation for young women between the ages of 15-19, which causes a major healthcare dilemma for the residents of Oklahoma City. In an effort to reform current sex ed practices, a bill was introduced in 2015 in an effort to authorize school districts to offer sexual education curriculum for students in grades 7-12. That education may focus on avoiding risky situations, knowledge about sexual STDs and prevention. The bill has not yet gone to a vote as of April 2016.4
Another bill introduced to the Oklahoma house of representatives, this time in January of 2016, called for public schools to administer medically accurate, age appropriate curriculum in an effort to decrease teen pregnancy risk. Similarly, this bill has not yet gone to a vote as of April 2016.5 In regards to current Oklahoma legislation, also calls for mandatory AIDS prevention curriculum to be developed by public schools and approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.6
While there seem to be strides in the direction of progress for lowering the teen pregnancy rates and STDs among teenagers, an open dialogue about protection and contraception are even more effective methods for the prevention. Knowing when to get tested and taking action is an important part of taking control of one’s own sexual health.
Comprised of nearly 1.4 million people, the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area is the largest in the state. The demographic breakdown of sexually transmitted diseases can vary greatly by the type of infection. In the reporting of total HIV infections in the area, while the Caucasian population had the highest number of infections, African Americans saw the highest rate. 55.4% of infections reported between 1984 and 2014 (1,517 total) were attributed to the Caucasian population.3
National demographic trends can point to a higher occurrence of chlamydia in women, a nearly equitable level of occurrence of gonorrhea for both men and women, and a higher risk of men being diagnosed with syphilis. In the instance of chlamydia in the Oklahoma City metro area, of the 5,252 cases reported in 2014, 72% were reported in the female population, compared to 27.9% reported in men.
Females reported slightly higher rates of gonorrhea than men, with a comparison of 55.4% to 44.6%. The most common age group of gonorrhea infection is the 20-24 bracket, accounting for 1,852 new cases. In regards to primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis, men reported 92.3% of all new infections and women reported 7.7%. 74.1% of all P&S syphilis cases were reported by men who have sex with men (MSM), the highest risk group for the infection.2
Isn’t your time best spent enjoying what you love about Oklahoma City, like catching a great concert at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, than waiting and wondering about your STD status? Take control of your sexual health and get tested. Who is at risk? Anyone who is sexually active and has never been tested, who has had more than one partner in the last year, or is experiencing any STD-like symptoms should be screened for an STD.
You could wait to make an appointment with a primary care physician or even wait in line at a free clinic, but there are other options to discover. STDtest.com is a fast, confidential and affordable testing option tailored to your schedule. Get started by answering a few quick questions to receive a doctor-recommended panel of tests. You don’t need to make an appointment, and same-day options 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.
You will be notified of your test results usually within three business days or less. Our medical team is available for you to discuss your diagnosis, answer any questions and provide linkage to care. It’s that simple. Get tested. It’s for your better health.