Sure, everyone knows what Orlando is most famous for – Disney World! Orlando and the greater Orange County area is home to 12 theme parks, making it one of the most amusing destinations in the entire world. This vibrant metropolitan area that was once swampland continues to thrive as a world-renowned tourist haven offering locals plenty of sun, beauty, first-rate golf courses and so much more.
With fun comes temptation, and the residents of this bustling city in Central Florida has seen an increase of sexually transmitted diseases in recent years, specifically in the case of syphilis which saw a 17% increase of new infections in 2014.1 With this continued rise, it’s important for anyone exhibiting risk factors to get tested. Most STDs present with little or no symptoms. This can elevate the risk of passing infections unknowingly from partner to partner. If you’ve never been tested, had multiple partners in the last year or there is any chance of exposure to an STI, now is the time to get tested.
Free clinics and primary care physicians can offer STD testing options, but can often involve wait time or a lack of availability with your schedule. That’s where STDtest.com comes in with a convenient, confidential and affordable option.
Residents of Orange County, Florida know that making an appointment with your primary care doctor to check for STDs can feel embarrassing and stressful. Public clinics in the area can potentially be crowded, depending on the time of day you visit or how many people it’s designed to serve. Orlando might seem like it’s all flash and fun (and all about Mickey), but if you want to take your health seriously, know the STD facts in your area and get tested.
According to information published by the Florida Department of Public Health, reported chlamydia cases continue to rise in Orange County. New gonorrhea infections continue to see a cycle of increasing and decreasing numbers, most recently with a noted decrease between 2013 to 2014. 2&3 HIV infection rates saw a 22% increase of new reported infections from 2014 to 2015.4 Orlando and the greater Orange County area ranks 4th in the state for number of chlamydia and syphilis infections and 5th in the state for number of gonorrhea infections. As numbers continue to rise, the importance of getting tested is a matter of better community health.1-3
In a discussion of STD rates on the rise in Orlando, Florida, one of the most noticeable upward trends is increasing rate of HIV infections in the county. A 22% increase year-over-year accounts for a total of 553 new HIV diagnoses in 2015. Another STI experiencing an upward trend is acute hepatitis B, which saw a 100% increase from 8 to 16 cases between 2014 and 2015. The diagnosis rate of chronic hepatitis C saw a 19% increase in 2015, with a total of 1,292 total infections across the county. The only sexually transmitted disease to see no increase or decrease during this time period was acute hepatitis C, which reported a total of 7 cases in both 2014 and 2015.4
The most commonly occurring reported STDs in Orlando are gonorrhea and chlamydia. Chlamydia is a common STD that typically affects more women than men, and women under the age of 25 are particularly at risk for the disease, according the the CDC. The government agency also recommends yearly chlamydia testing for women under 25 who are sexually active.5 In the greater Orlando area, chlamydia trends continue to climb, with 7,121. In the nearly 20 years of collected statistical information from the state, this number reflects the highest number of infections recorded in the data set.2
Gonorrhea, on the other hand, saw a decrease in 2014. This sexually transmitted disease, generally, has been declining in Orlando and several other highly populated counties in Florida (Miami-Dade, Hillsborough). With an exception of increases in 2004-2006 and another small spike in 2013, the 20 years of data help to illustrate a lessening number of reported cases.3
Florida’s traditional stance on sexual education centered on an abstinence-only-until-marriage model, the city of Orlando included. In 2008, the budgeting for the fiscal year reported an allocation of $176 million dollars to fund abstinence-before-marriage sexual education, according to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.6 A report published in March 2016 by the Guttmacher Institute details the legally mandated requirements for sexual education in every state. As it stands, Florida does not require any sexual education in its schools, and gives parents the opportunity to opt-out of any associated curriculum.7
Recent attempts at reforming sexual education law for Florida public schools was met with opposition and ultimately failed in the case of Senate Bill 1056, titled Education in Public Schools Concerning Human Sexuality. This bill called for a more comprehensive approach to sexual education. It failed to pass in March 2016.8
While on a state level Florida struggles to define comprehensive policies relating to sexual education, Orange County is one of the five counties in the state to receive a grant from the CDC’s division of Adolescent and School health. This 5-year grant helps communities in need to develop and execute exemplary sexual health education and to collect survey data from students to help better improve programming in the future.9
This stride in a new direction of sexual health education primes students to ask further questions about sexual health as they get older. With nearly 20 million STDs reported annually in the United States, young people (ages 15-24) are estimated to account for nearly half.10 Knowing the facts, practicing safe sex and getting tested are key for maintaining overall sexual health.
In Orlando, the HIV demographic breakdown can be surveyed by monitoring the larger Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes not just Orange County but also extends to Osceola, Seminole, and Lake Counties. This area incorporates nearly double the population of Orange County, according to reports from AIDSVu and the US Census Bureau.11-12
In this expanded population, the 2012 population demographic breakdown was 56.2% white, 25.1% Latino, 14.9% African American and about 3.8% Asian. Of this population, 40% of all people living with a diagnosis at that time were African American, 25% Hispanic and 34% white. Men accounted for 73% of all diagnoses cases, compared to 27% being women. The highest risk group, similar to trends seen all around the country, is men who have sex with men (MSM), accounting for 71% of all infections in the greater Orlando MSA.11
Getting tested in the Florida MSA can involve going to a free clinic or visiting the doctor’s office, but there’s a more convenient option that delivers the same caliber of diagnostic medical care. However you choose to get tested, getting informed about your sexual health can help stop the spread of STDs in Orlando and its surrounding counties.
Knowledge is key for staying on top of sexual health. Enjoy all of the fun and natural beauty that Orlando offers by seeking peace of mind by getting tested. STDtest.com is a fast, convenient and cost-effective service that focuses on your needs. After you answer a few brief questions, you’ll receive a panel of doctor-recommended tests. Next, you’ll choose the most convenient same-day testing option for you, whether it’s at home, work or a local lab.
You’ll be notified of your secure results usually in three business days or less and our medical team is available to answer any follow up questions you have about your diagnosis or further treatment. Our dedicated Care Advisor team is also available to help guide you through the process. Your health is more than worth it.