The Kansas state capital of Topeka and the greater Shawnee County area is collectively home to over 178,000 residents.1 This Midwestern metropolis is known for its traditional values, as well as the place of the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. While STDs like HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis are currently on the decline,2&3 it’s important to know the risks, get tested and get treated, if medically appropriate. This helps continue the track record of downward trends. Scheduling an appointment with your primary care physician for STD testing can often mean waiting weeks before getting in, and the waiting room at a free clinic can be crowded. STDtest.com works with your schedule for a stress-free testing experience, granting you peace of mind. Read on to learn more.
Most often the hallmark symptom of a sexually transmitted disease is no symptoms at all, which makes it even more important for people in Topeka to understand what behaviors put them at risk for an STD, how to get tested and what their treatment options are. Anyone sexually active who has never been tested before, anyone who recently had unprotected sex, anyone in a relationship with a partner positive for STDs, or anyone experiencing STD-like symptoms should get tested as soon as possible. Certain populations are at higher risk for particular STDs and should be tested periodically. For example, the CDC recommends that sexually active young women under the age of 25 (or older women with risk factors) should get tested annually for chlamydia.4
It can feel stressful, embarrassing or even shameful to get tested for STDs, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s important to know that you’re not alone. Our dedicated team of Care Advisors are trained to answer your questions and to help guide you each step of the way. A team of medical professionals is available for a follow up consult. They can either prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law, or they can connect you with a local physician to continue working on your treatment plan. If you have questions, we’re here to help provide the best possible answers we can.
According to recent reports from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in Topeka and the greater Shawnee County area is chlamydia, with 895 new infections reported in 2015 compared to 898 in 2014. From 2011 to 2015, the highest number of chlamydia infections was reported in 2013. Gonorrhea continues to decline in the Topeka area, after a significant spike in infections between 2013 and 2014. In this time period, the number of new gonorrhea cases increased by 45.7%. In 2014, 359 gonorrhea infections were reported compared to 311 in 2015.2
Primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis in the Topeka and Shawnee county is reported in far fewer numbers than other bacterial infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea, but this STD can result in far more serious medical complications if left untreated. P&S syphilis can become ocular syphilis (an invasion of the bacteria in the eye), neurosyphilis (an invasion of the bacteria in the brain) or congenital syphilis, a very severe infection passed from mother to child that can result in birth defects or even death of the baby. With 5 infections reported in 2015 compared to 7 in 2014, this constitutes a 28.5% decrease from year over year. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, as of the most recent reports, saw a year-over-year decrease of 7.1%, with 197 new infections reported in Topeka and Shawnee County in 2009 compared to 183 in 2010.2,3&5
Sexual education in the state of Kansas, and specifically in the city of Topeka and Shawnee County, has experienced recent scrutiny. One particular incident with a sexual education poster containing subject matter about oral sex and ‘grinding’, used as a visual aid, led to the passing of a law forbidding certain materials deemed “harmful to minors”. This legal decision, impacting school children all throughout the state of Kansas, is further detailed in the Kansas Senate Bill 56.6 Another arguably controversial sexual education policy adopted by the Kansas State Department of Education is that all parents must provide consent in order for their children to participate in the curriculum. This model is nearly the inverse of what most states adopt, where parents must provide express permission opting their children out of sexual education.7
This less-than-comprehensive approach to sexual education, as well as a lack of discussion of prevention methods of STDs, HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy can leave students lacking information they need to best protect themselves. While abstinence, the preferred method of prevention, is 100% effective, considering that nearly 10 million of the estimated 20 million STDs reported in the United States are reported by young people age 15-24,8 it’s unrealistic to conclude that abstinence is the preferred method of prevention among teenagers across the country. Providing age-appropriate, medically accurate information regarding the various options for safe sex and teen pregnancy prevention helps to increase the likelihood of someone in this demographic being more aware of the resources available should they find their sexual health compromised.
The demographic distribution of sexually transmitted diseases in the city of Topeka and across the state of Kansas depends on a few different factors and can be dependent on the infection itself. For example, chlamydia typically affects far more women than men, while gonorrhea tends to affect women and men at a similar rate, and syphilis and HIV, according to national trends are reported in far higher numbers by men than women. In Topeka, gonorrhea affects more men than women. However, the rest of the national trends prove true, according to reports published by Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention.2
The racial/ethnic group most affected by chlamydia infections in the Topeka and Shawnee County area are African Americans. This population consistently has consistently reported the highest number of infections each year between 2005 and 2015. Looking at this decade-long data set, it’s observed that the racial/ethnic group impacted by the highest number of reported gonorrhea cases is the African population as well, with nearly triple the rate of infection seen by other population groups. The racial/ethnic group reporting the highest number of infections from 2005 to 2015 is the African American population, with rates once again towering over the the rest of the racial/ethnic groups.2 Spreading the word about testing and getting linked to the care needed is an essential need for members in under-served communities.
Spend more of your free time in Topeka on what you enjoy most, like a lazy day with family and friends gathered along Lake Sherwood, rather than feeling stressed about your unknown STD status. Getting started with STDtest.com is simple. You’ll begin by answering a few brief questions to receive your panel of doctor recommended tests, customized to your personal history and symptoms. You can then choose a lab near you from thousands of locations nationwide, no appointment needed. If available in your area, we can come to you for in-home lab testing, adding yet another layer of discretion, with appointments within an hour of request. For both options, test results are usually available in three business days or less. Our medical team is available for follow-up to discuss your diagnosis, answer any questions you might have and even to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.