Tsaile is a gem of a town in Apache County, Arizona, located just west of the New Mexico border. It’s quiet and quaint, filled with the natural wonder of rust-colored cliffs and sensational sunsets. The Canyon de Chelly is the pride of Tsaile and attracts local and tourists alike. Tsaile and Apache County are home to over 71,000 people, and this area currently sees an increase of commonly reported sexually transmitted diseases, namely gonorrhea.2
Getting tested and treated is key for improving the sexual health of this county’s predominantly Native American/Alaskan population. Scheduling an appointment with your primary care doctor’s office can often meaning waiting weeks before you actually go in, and the waiting room at a private clinic can be crowded and overwhelming. STDtest.com offers a stress-free alternative that is fast, convenient, discreet and affordable. Read on to learn more.
Life in Navajo Nation is best enjoyed outdoors. Getting out there to swim, hike, fish and boat is the best way to enjoy this part of of eastern Arizona. Why not take more advantage of your free time and feel less stressed by getting tested. Anyone sexually active who has never been tested before, anyone who has had unprotected sex, anyone with multiple partners in the last year, anyone with an STD-positive partner or anyone exhibiting STD symptoms should get tested as soon as possible. Other populations at risk should get tested yearly or periodically as well, according to the CDC. For example, young women under the age of 25 (or older women with risk factors) should be screened each year for chlamydia. Additionally, Baby Boomers (people born in between 1945 and 1965) are particularly susceptible to Hepatitis C, and should be tested at least once.3&4
If you’re feeling unsure or even ashamed of getting tested for STDs, you don’t have to feel that way. With STDtest.com, you can be discreet about your testing needs, yet you don’t have to feel alone. Our dedicated team of Care Advisers is available 7 days a week from 6 am to 10 pm to answer any questions you have and to guide you through the process. You can even contact the medical team after you receive your test results to help create a treatment plan that works for you. Don’t stay in the dark about your status because of fear. Get the tests you need so you can get the right diagnosis and the right treatment.
Across Apache county, one sexually transmitted disease that continues to rise is gonorrhea. The prevalence of this common bacterial infection rose from 89 new infections reported in 2013 to 77 in 2014, a 13.4% increase. Apache County accounts for one of the highest rates of gonorrhea in the state with 123.7 cases per 100,000 residents. Similarly, the county also reports one of the highest chlamydia rates in Arizona, with 831.3/100,000. As of the most recent reports released by the Arizona Department of Health Services. These high rates are comparable to those of the largest counties in the state, Maricopa and Pima.2
The presence of syphilis is nearly non-existent in Tsaile and throughout Apache county. Syphilis is often diagnosed in numbers far less than chlamydia and gonorrhea not just in Arizona but all across the country, and left untreated, the condition can quickly evolve into a much more serious medical issue. Undiagnosed, untreated syphilis can result in ocular syphilis (syphilis bacteria in the eye), neurosyphilis (syphilis bacteria in the brain) or congenital syphilis, a condition passed from mother to child that can be fatal for the child.5 Between 2009 and 2013, this county reported an HIV infection rate average of 10.8 cases per 100,000 residents.6
Sexual education can be a difficult topic to broach, especially in Apache County. Arizona state law does not mandate any formal sexual education in schools, however, it does mandate HIV/AIDS education in schools. While this curriculum calls for instruction that is age-appropriate and medically accurate as well as dispelling the common myths around what causes the virus, there are significant limitations that can make a marked impact on the education young people in the Apache County area. For example, by law, no public school is allowed to portray homosexuality as, “a positive alternative life-style.”7 Considering the fact that across the state of Arizona, 22.8% of all reported sexually transmitted diseases are reported by men who have sex with men (MSM), a significant population that is at risk could be getting less than the full picture about how to best protect their overall sexual health and self-esteem from this method of sexual education.2
With young people ages 15-24 accounting for nearly 50% of the 20 million sexually transmitted diseases reported annually in the United States, it’s important for this high-risk group to receive all of the information, including alternative methods that work to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy. While abstinence is a 100% effective method of prevention, teaching young people that there are other resources to keep them safe is a vital way to keep statistics down and the health of young people in this community thriving.8
Although Apache County accounts for some of the highest STD rates in the state, the entire population of the county only makes up only 1.9% of the cases reported across the state of Arizona. What this means is that even though the number of cases was low, the concentration in the area was incredibly high, making this a troublesome issue for Tsaile, Apache County and the greater Navajo Nation. Tsaile county is an integral member of this community. An awareness for the challenges this population faces, especially considering their rural location and its potential far distance from medical resources, is essential for helping these rates of infection begin to recover.2
Other demographic trends of note in both Apache County and Arizona continue to see are a discernible gender gap between the number of men and women reporting chlamydia, with women reporting far higher numbers. Conversely, men report far higher numbers of HIV and primary and secondary syphilis in this area, in line with trends seen all across the country.2 Continuing to encourage the periodic testing and treatment of those at risk for these sexually transmitted diseases is essential for a happier, healthier Tsaile.
Enjoy more of what you love about Tsaile when you stress less about your unknown STD status by taking a test to confirm. Getting started with STDtest.com is simple. To begin, answer a few brief questions online or by phone to receive your doctor-recommended panel of tests, customized to your personal history and symptoms. Next, you’ll choose a testing option. You can choose the lab most convenient for your from a national network of thousands for a short visit (usually 30 minutes or less) to collect your test samples, no appointment needed. If available in your area, we can bring the lab to you with In-Home Collection.
For both options, results are usually available in three business days or less. Our medical team is available for follow up to answer any questions you might have, discuss your diagnosis and even to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.