San Jose and the greater Santa Clara County area is home to over 1.9 million residents ³ and offers a wealth of natural beauty that enchants locals and tourists alike, like the majesty of the Santa Cruz Mountains. In a city of this size, it’s important to stay on top of sexual health by getting tested for STDs yearly or periodically. Anyone who has never been tested, recently had unprotected sex, or has been exposed to an STD by their partner should get tested as soon as possible. Other high-risk populations, like young adults, bisexual, gay and men who have sex with men and certain minority groups should get tested periodically, depending on their behavior. The CDC recommends that sexually active women under the age of 25 get tested yearly for chlamydia.^4&5

Getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases can be accompanied by a stigma, but it doesn’t need to be. According to the CDC, all STIs can be treated and many can be cured, like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis.⁴ With STDtest.com, you can choose a discreet lab location and, coming soon, you can choose the option lab technician can come to you to perform lab testing. If you’re feeling hesitant or overwhelmed, a dedicated team of Care Advisors is available 7 days a week from 6 am to 10 pm to answer your questions and guide you through the process. When it comes to a subject as sensitive as STD testing, it’s important to know you’re not alone.

STD Test Statistics in San Jose, CA

The most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in San Jose and Santa Clara County area is chlamydia. This infection saw a year-over-year increase from 2013 to 2014 of 4.8%. From 2010 from 2014, reporting trends showed a slight decrease in 2012, with a continued increase in the following years. Another sexually transmitted disease on the rise as of the latest reports published by the California Department of Public Health is gonorrhea, with 1,129 new infections reported in 2013 compared to 1,515 the next year. 2014 makes the highest instance of gonorrhea cases in the county between 2010 and 2014.^1&2

In the San Jose and Santa Clara County metropolitan statistical area, another sexually transmitted infection on the rise is primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis. According to the CDC 2014 National STD Surveillance Report, California ranks 4th out of the 50 states for highest number and rate of syphilis cases. However, In Santa Clara County, the number of new infections in 2013 compared to 2014 decreased by 18.4%. HIV infections in this area are currently on the decline, with 30 new cases reported in 2011 compared to 77 in 2010.^7&8 Knowing the risks, getting tested and, when medically appropriate, getting linked to care can be a simple process that makes a large impact on lowering the STD rates in San Jose and the greater Santa Clara County area.

STD Testing and Sexual Education in San Jose

The city of San Jose, the county of Santa Clara and the state of California, by law, adopts a comprehensive sexual education curriculum in its public school system. As defined by the California Department of Education, this curriculum aims to provide an informative, multi-faceted approach for all students to learn about their sexuality and development, the risks and preventive methods of avoiding sexually transmitted disease and unintended pregnancy in an environment that bolsters healthy decision making skills. While the concept of abstinence can be taught in schools as a viable method of STD and teen pregnancy protection, it is against the California Code of Education to teach “Abstinence-Only” lessons as part of sex ed curriculum in public schools. Additionally, all comprehensive sexual education should be age-appropriate, medically accurate and evaluated on a continual basis for both factors.⁹

Statewide comprehensive sexual education is a relatively recent development in California. The bill mandating curriculum went into effect January 1, 2016.⁹ Opening up the dialogue between students, educators and parents about the realities, pressures and risks that come with young adulthood is an important step in not only preventing sexually transmitted disease, but in the event that a young person is in a compromising situation with their sexual health, they can reach out for more information, hopefully without the fear of shame or embarrassment. 15-24 year olds account for 53.11% of all reported chlamydia infections in Santa Clara County, a disease that is easily cured with medicine. However, leaving this STD untreated can lead to more serious complications like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or even infertility.^2,5,9

STD Testing and Demographics in San Jose

Young people don’t just account for a significant percentage of chlamydia infections in San Jose and across Santa Clara County, they account for 33.3% of all gonorrhea infections as well. Additionally, young women are adversely affected by the spread of chlamydia. 65.3% of all 2014 infections were reported in women compared to 34.5%. Men report the majority of gonorrhea infections in the area, with 64.2% compared to 35.8% reported by women.the majority of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis infections in San Jose and Santa Clara are reported in men  (90.8% of the 2014 total ),the highest number of HIV infections are also reported in men in Santa Clara County.^1&2,7&8

The demographic distribution of sexually transmitted disease in San Jose and Santa Clara County affects different racial and ethnic groups disproportionately, especially African Americans and Hispanics. The racial/ethnic group more impacted by the spread of chlamydia in 2014 was the Hispanic population segment, with 27.6% of total infections. Gonorrhea saw Hispanics report the highest number of new cases, with 399 in 2014. Hispanics also reported the most significant number of primary and secondary syphilis cases to the Santa Clara County Health Department (in turn, reporting to the California Department of Public Health), with 42.8% of infections. Reaching out to these at-risk groups and spreading the word about testing and treatment options is essential for lowering the STD rates and increasing the community health of the far reaches of the Santa Clara County area. ^1&2,7

Your Best San Jose STD Testing Option

Why not spend more of your free time in San Jose engaged in what you enjoy most, like a lovely day in the Municipal Rose Garden, instead of feeling frustrated and stressed about your STD health status? Get the answers you need with STDtest.com. Getting started is simple. By answering a brief medical questionnaire, you’ll receive a doctor-recommended panel of tests tailored to your personal history and symptoms. Next, you’ll choose a lab location from a national network of thousands for a short visit (usually 30 minutes or less) for test sample collection. If available in your area, In-Home Collection offers professional testing at your home, work or anywhere you choose.

Once your samples are collected, results are usually available in three business days or less. The medical team is available for a follow-up consult to discuss your diagnosis, answer any remaining questions and even to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.

References:

1 Chlamydia in California
2 Gonorrhea in California
3 US Census Bureau Quick Facts – San Jose and Santa Clara County, CA
4 CDC – The Lowdown on STD Prevention
5 CDC – Chlamydia Fact Sheet
6 CDC – Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2014
7  Primary and Secondary Syphilis in California
8 Santa Clara County 2012-2014 – Comprehensive HIV Prevention & Care Plan for San José, CA TGA
9 Comprehensive Sexual Health & HIV/AIDS Instruction – California Department of Education
10 San Jose – Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Early Syphilis Rates by Age Group (2014), Race/Ethnicity (2014), and Year