Stress less and enjoy life more in Phoenix when you take charge of your sexual health and get tested to know your status. Instead of spending your free time clearing your schedule for an inconvenient appointment, you can relax at a concert or a game at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Knowing the facts and the risks about STD testing and treatment is the first step toward slowing down the climbing rates in the Phoenix and Maricopa area. Anyone sexually active who has never been tested before, anyone who has had unprotected sex, anyone who has been with multiple partners in the last year or anyone in a relationship with an STD-positive partner should get tested as soon as possible.

According to the CDC, there are certain populations that are at higher risk for certain sexually transmitted infections that should be screened regularly each year. For example, the CDC recommends that sexually active young women under the age of 25 (or older women with risk factors) should be tested each year for chlamydia. ^3&4 Baby Boomers, or people born between 1945 and 1965, should be tested at least once for Hepatitis C. Recent studies have shown this age group to be at high risk for new infections.⁵ All sexually transmitted diseases can be treated and many can be cured, in the case of chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis. An undiagnosed and untreated STD, however, can lead to more serious medical complications like infertility or pelvic inflammatory disorder (PID).³

STD Test Statistics in Phoenix, AZ

A couple of sexually transmitted diseases in the city of Phoenix and extending out into Maricopa County have seen increases according to year-over-year reports from the Arizona Department of Health Services. For example, gonorrhea saw an increase of 14.3% in this area, reporting 4,724 new infections in 2013 compared to 5,514 in 2014. From 2011 to 2014, the total increase of gonorrhea prevalence in this area totaled 41.8%. Another sexually transmitted disease reporting far larger numbers in between the years of 2013 and 2014. In 2013, 213 new infections were reported compared to 409 the following year, accounting for a 47.9% increase. From 2011 to 2014, the county of Maricopa and the included city of Phoenix saw an overall increase of primary and secondary (P&S syphilis infections) at 51.3%. ²

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection in Phoenix and Maricopa County, as well as all across the country. In 2014, this area reported 19,788 new infections, with 19,152 the year before. Similar to gonorrhea and P&S syphilis, this sexually transmitted disease is also increasing in the area. From 2009 to 2013, the average rate of infection for HIV is 11.5 cases per 100,000 residents. In order to lower the continually increasing rates, it’s important to increase the education and awareness of resources available to anyone at risk for these common infections. In order to get treated for an STD, a diagnosis is needed. Get tested to get one step closer to a treatment or a cure.²

STD Testing and Sexual Education in Phoenix

In Phoenix, Maricopa County and all across the state of Arizona, the approach to sexual education is less than comprehensive. Comprehensive sexual education, as defined by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, entails, “Age-appropriate, medically accurate information on a broad set of topics related to sexuality including human development, relationships, decision making, abstinence, contraception, and disease prevention.”⁶ In Arizona, sexual education is not required in all public schools, however, HIV/AIDS instruction is required. All curriculum should be age-appropriate and medically accurate, but the stress is on abstinence as the only 100% effective method of STD, HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy prevention. Also, school districts are not allowed to instruct that homosexuality is a positive lifestyle choice.⁷

Pending legislation in the state of Arizona regarding sexual education includes an initiative to make sexual education mandatory in all public schools. This slow shift towards a comprehensive model is important for opening up the dialogue between young people, educators, mentors and parents about the big picture surrounding sexual facts. Giving students all of the facts they need to make healthy decisions, whether they choose to abstain from sex or not, is an important tactic in lowering STD rates all across the county and across the country. According to the CDC, young people ages 15-24 account for nearly 10 million of the estimated 20 million sexually transmitted diseases reported each year.⁹

STD Testing and Demographics in Phoenix

The majority of the 39,919 sexually transmitted diseases reported in Arizona in 2014 were reported by residents of Maricopa County (64.4%). In addition, Maricopa County was ranked as the 7th county in the U.S. for the number of reported gonorrhea cases in 2013. This also speaks to the increase of other sexually transmitted diseases in the area. Phoenix, Maricopa County and as well as the state of Arizona sees gender distribution trends of sexually transmitted disease in line with the rest of the country. For example, women are diagnosed with chlamydia in far higher numbers than men, and men account for far higher numbers of syphilis compared to women. Also, MSM (men who have sex with men) in this community continue to report numbers of sexually transmitted disease in disproportion to their overall population, with 22.8% of all reported STDs in the state.²

All across the state of Arizona, one’s individual racial/ethnic group plays an important variable in the distribution of sexually transmitted diseases. The American Indian/Native Alaskan population sees some of the highest rates of STIs in the state. Regarding chlamydia, this group reports 1,088.2 infections per 100,000 residents. This is a marked decrease from the year before, but is still a troubling statistic.² Reaching out to minority groups at higher risk for contracting these infections and making affordable resources available is integral to the overall strategy for lowering the number and rate of sexually transmitted diseases in Phoenix, Maricopa County and all across Arizona.

Your Best Phoenix STD Testing Option

Spend less time worrying about an unknown STD status and get back to enjoying the great things about Phoenix, like a great day with family and friends climbing Camelback Mountain. Getting started with STDtest.com. Begin by answering a few short questions online or by phone to you get your personal doctor recommendation of tests, customized to your personal symptoms and history. Next, you’ll choose a testing option. You can select a lab from a national network of thousands for a brief visit (usually 30 minutes or less) to collect your test samples, no appointment needed. If available in your area, we can send the lab to you for in-home blood or urine sample collection.

For both options, test results are usually available in three business days or less. You’ll be able to follow up with our medical team to discuss your diagnosis, have any remaining questions answered and even get a prescription, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.

References:

1 U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts – Phoenix and Maricopa County, AZ
2 Arizona Department of Health Services Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2014 Report
3 The Lowdown on How to Prevent STDs
4 CDC – Chlamydia Fact Sheet
5 Hepatitis C – Why Baby Boomers Should Get Tested
6 SIECUS What the Research Says…Comprehensive Sex Education
7 Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15.716 – HIV Education Guidelines
8 SB1020 sex education programs; requirements Bill Overview
9 Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Young Americans