Preferred Location: 1000 Hawthorne Ave Athens,GA 30606 Athens Change location
SaferSTD Preferred Location: 1000 Hawthorne Ave Athens,GA 30606 Athens Change Location
The South experiences higher rates of STDs and Athens is no exception. Left untreated STDs can result in not just physical discomfort but also long-term health consequences. As rates rise, regular screenings for sexually active persons becomes increasingly more important.
Ranked in the top five states for STD rates of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, residents should make sure to protect their sexual health with regular screenings.
Recent statistics show alarming rates of STD cases: 62,776 chlamydia cases, 20,553 gonorrhea cases, and 1,350 syphilis cases. Over half of all new STD cases occur in young adults.
Public and private STD Testing centers are located throughout the Clarke County area. Many organizations have labs around the city, including the Athens Neighborhood Health Center.
If you want a little more privacy by leaving your immediate vicinity then you can find nearby locations outside the city limits. Within a 20 mile radius of Athens you’ll find the Georgia Department of Public Health, located on South Elm Street in Commerce, and the Northeast Health District, located on Union Point Road in Lexington.
If privacy isn’t a concern there are centers that have free STD testing, just be prepared to wait with others.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1 (CDC) recommends screening for the most common STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, herpes 1, herpes 2, and HIV for both men and women. In addition, the CDC suggests women get screened for trichomoniasis.
SaferSTD recommends searching for locations that offer a 10-test panel which tests for the most common bacteria and viral STDs in the U.S. with additional premium add-ons like early HIV detection, if needed.
The CDC2 provides detailed STD testing information as to when you should get tested. In summary, you should get tested today if you are sexually active, never been tested before, have had unprotected sex in the past, or if you exhibit symptoms.
According to the World Health Organization3, the majority of STI cases reported every day, more than one million, are asymptomatic; another reason to get tested today.
You should get tested again in 90 days to rule out STDs that have specific exposure waiting times, including HIV.
STD testing can be a quick and simple process, depending on the type of test you choose and where you get tested. Some may require an oral or genital swab, a urine test or blood sample, or a physical exam to check your genital area for signs of an STD.
SaferSTD has identified preferred providers that require only a urine test, a blood sample, or both without a physical exam.
The speed at which you receive your STD testing results depends on where you get tested. Before you choose your location, find out how long testing results will take.
At-home STD testing results are usually 3-5 business days, depending on the manufacturer of your test. You also need to take into account the amount of time it takes to receive the test or pick one up, perform the test, and ship it back, before the lab can analyze your results and report back to you.
If you test at a public facility such as a neighborhood clinic, you may have to wait a week, if not more for the results, which could delay treatment. If you test through a private facility, they have the fastest turnaround within 1-3 business days.
SaferSTD has researched and identified the most accredited and most reputable testing locations. Click here to find a preferred location near you.
Some STD testing clinics offer same-day walk-in options without an appointment. Below are nearby preferred locations that offer this option.
The cost of STD testing depends on whether you select private, public, or at-home testing, as well as the type of test(s) you need.
Several at-home STD options and public testing locations can cost up to $250, with most on the higher end, depending on the brand and type of testing. Public testing fees also vary based on income and welfare eligibility.
With private testing, you may save money on a low-cost comprehensive 10-test panel that tests for the most common bacterial and viral STDs in the United States.
SaferSTD has researched and identified reputable locations that offer upfront pricing without hidden fees. Click here to find a preferred location near you.
Choices Pregnancy Care Center serves women and families encountering a pregnancy crisis. The facility is staffed by skilled medical personnel who are licensed to deliver STD/HIV screening and treatment, pregnancy testing, and abortion care services.
Live Forward medical center was founded in 1987 to serve PLWHA in Northeast Georgia counties with medical care and social services. Over the years, the organization has grown to provide PLWHA with proper housing and community outreach services. The facility has an HIV Outreach and Prevention Program, which strives to reduce HIV infections by providing free HIV testing, prevention counseling, and community education.
For several years Planned Parenthood - Gwinnett Health Center has been at the forefront of providing reproductive health care and sexual information to Athens-Clarke County, GA, residents. The facility conducts research and uses modern medical equipment operated by qualified medical practitioners who provide STD/HIV testing and treatment, pregnancy screening, birth control, women’s and men’s health, and abortion care services.
Oconee County Health Department is a medical facility that provides quality health care services to improve the standards of life for county residents. Its board-certified doctors and nurses offer a wide range of clinical services, including STD/HIV screening and treatment, women’s health, vaccinations, pregnancy testing, and family planning.
Reddy Urgent Care opened its doors in 1984 to address the health conditions of communities in Athens-Clarke County, GA, by delivering emergency medical services for chronic ailments. It has board-certified doctors and nurses who offer STD/HIV testing, sports medicine, and women’s health care services.
Bulldog Urgent Care is a full-service medical center founded in 2011 to serve both Athens residents and individuals from the surrounding areas with quality medical care. It has a team of interdisciplinary certified physicians who treat individuals with minor illnesses and injuries, including asthma, common cold, flu, STDs, cuts, and burns.
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Accredited and Certified
These location types are best for: Privacy and convenience
Description: Order online and receive a doctor's order to visit this lab to get tested in as little as 15 mins. Get your results privately within 1-2 business days and speak with a doctor over the phone if your test results come back positive. Doctors may prescribe treatment or refer you to a specialist if needed.
Accredited and Certified
These location types are best for: Privacy and convenience
Description: Getting an STD test at a clinic near you has never been easier. When you choose this location, you can get a doctor's requisition to get tested in as little as 15 minutes. Following your test, you receive your results privately within 2 business days, and can speak to a doctor over the phone with confidence, should results come back as positive.
Accredited and Certified
These location types are best for: Privacy and convenience
Description: Why go to a public clinic? Get convenient and fast STD testing that is 100% confidential. Individual tests under $50. Order online and visit this lab the same day for a quick 15 min test. Get your results online within 1-2 business days, and view them privately. Doctor consultation available over the phone, should results come back as positive.
Accredited and Certified
These location types are best for: Privacy and convenience
Description: Get Fast, Easy and Affordable testing at this location. Results come back within 2 business days and be in and out of the lab in less then 20 minutes.
Show only locations where privacy and discretion is taken into importance.
Description: Not open to the public when school is in session
Description: Services provided to established patients. To qualify for services, patients must NOT have any sort of health insurance; must have a household income that falls at or below 138% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for household size; and must fall within scope of care that ANC provides. Patients must also attend Patient Orientation on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at 9 AM. To be seen as a walk-in, you must check in at the front desk between 8:30am-10am
Show only locations where you can easily book your test online.
Description: Public Health Department/Social Services Department, Hepatitis A and HPV vaccines provided to those under 19 through the VFC program. Condoms available for free.
Description: In order to become a patient, must be completely uninsured; at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level; and a resident of one of the following counties: Clarke, Barrow, Jackson, Madison, Oglethorpe, Oconee. For your first appointment, please bring the following documentation: picture Identification; proof of Income, such as paystub or a notarized letter; and proof of residency, such as a letter with a recent date, name and address, or a lease agreement.
Show only locations where they offer the HIV RNA Early Detection Test for people who think they may have been recently exposed to the HIV virus
Description: Office is closed for lunch from 12noon-1pm
Description: Public Health Department/Social Services Department, Hepatitis A and HPV vaccines provided to those under 19 through the VFC program. Free condoms available.
Description: Same Day Appointments also available
Description: Public Health Department/Social Services Department, Hepatitis A and HPV vaccines provided to those under 19 through the VFC program. Free condoms available.
Description: Public Health Department/Social Services Department. Hepatitis A and HPV vaccines provided to those under 19 through the VFC program. Free condoms available.
Description: Public Health Department/Social Services Department, Hepatitis A and HPV vaccines provided to those under 19 through the VFC program. Free condoms available.
Description: Closed 1-2 for Lunch
Description: Public Health Department/Social Services Department.
Top STD Testing Locations in Athens, GA
Primary Item (H2)The clinic is open for sexually active persons in need of low-cost STD/HIV screening and has no eligibility requirements.
Women visiting Choices Pregnancy Care Center may benefit from free pregnancy screening and low-cost STD/HIV testing. The clinic’s physicians serve patients dealing with post-abortion effects in a welcoming and comfortable enviroment.
It also has a post-abortion support group that offers an open forum for individuals to air out their concerns on issues affecting them. Moreover, the clinic supports single mothers and educates expectant women on maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
3458 Winder Hwy Suite 120, Flowery Branch, GA 30542, USA
There are no eligibility requirements for public members seeking HIV testing and treatment at the facility. The clinic welcomes both insured and uninsured patients.
Live Forward has partnered with Avita pharmacy and Empowerment Resource center to enable individuals susceptible to HIV infections to access PrEP pills at its free PrEP clinic. The facility also offers various support services to PLWHA, including case management, social events, transportation assistance, training and workshops, support groups, individual, and group counseling.
240 North Ave, Athens, GA 30601, USA
The clinic opens its doors to individuals in need of STD/HIV testing and treatment and may accept most health insurance plans such as Medicare and Medicaid. Uninsured patients may use cash, checks, and credit cards to settle their medical bills. Additionally, it provides a sliding fee scale to low-income self-pay persons.
Planned Parenthood - Gwinnett Health Center has spacious and comfortable waiting and examination rooms that accommodate the LGBTQ community. Patients can also take advantage of the facility’s Patient-Physician Tool and Educational App to create personalized plans with their clinicians and learn about their reproductive health choices.
798 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Suite 300, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, USA
The general public is eligible for STD/HIV testing. The clinic accepts numerous insurance plans, including Medicaid, Tricare, Aetna, CIGNA, Medicare, UnitedHealth care, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and PPO. Additionally, the facility allows self-pay persons to clear their medical bills in cash, credit, and debit cards.
Oconee County Health Department has a teen clinic that offers free and confidential sexual services to adolescents aged between 11 to 19 years. It also provides free condoms and lubes to reduce the number of HIV infections across the county. Moreover, individuals at high risk of contracting HIV infections may be linked to affordable PrEP or PEP programs.
1060 Experiment Station Rd, Watkinsville, GA 30677, USA
People living in East Athens can access STD/HIV screening at the clinic for low-costs. Personal checks, cash, and a variety of major credit/debit cards are accepted for insured persons. It also allows insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid, contracted, and non-contracted health plans.
Reddy Urgent Care offers welcoming waiting rooms for clients seeking STD services, and its friendly and professional medical experts deliver compassionate medical care to patients. The facility provides telemedicine services that enable individuals to consult with physicians using video conferencing on their smartphones and tablets. Additionally, it has board-certified lifestyle physicians who offer nutrition advice and physicals to enhance patients' well being.
4038 Lexington Rd, Athens, GA 30605, USA
Individuals seeking STD/HIV screening and treatment are welcome at the facility. The clinic accepts health insurance plans ranging from primary and student to group covers. Additionally, it allows self-pay individuals to pay using cash, debit, or credit cards.
Bulldog Urgent Care provides an affordable payment plan for medication, which saves patients money. It also offers discounts to clients who obtain their prescriptions on-site, and the clinic has a quick check-in process that minimizes patients waiting time. Moreover, the clinic has adopted a virtual visit model making it possible for individuals to access health care at the comfort of their home.
494 Baxter St ste c, Athens, GA 30605, USA
Even though STD and teen pregnancy rates are rising the state still does not require its public school districts to offer comprehensive sex education classes to students at any grade level. While the state does follow federal law and mandates that all public school districts must provide students with information on HIV prevention, the classes rarely provide teens with the skills and knowledge they need to avoid STDs and unplanned pregnancies. This alone is one of the main contributing factors to the city’s high rate of sexually transmitted infections.
Since students are not receiving the information they need to adequately protect themselves from STDs they are potentially putting everyone’s health at risk, including their own. Sexually transmitted diseases can be spread through a variety of methods, and this can make it easier for these viruses to be passed onto others. Not all STDs display immediate signs and symptoms, and this makes it possible for others to spread a transmittable disease without even realizing it.
While students are encouraged to practice abstinence, and this will effectively prevent pregnancies, it does little to stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Teaching students about the importance of regular Herpes testing in Athens is the best way to stop this contagious virus from infecting others. This also applies to regular HIV testing in Athens, and this simple procedure could potentially save your life.
STD rates are rising in the city, and this is partially due to the large number of college students in the area. While this is one of the contributing factors, statistics released by the CDC effectively show this is certainly not the only reason the number of sexually transmitted diseases reported each year is continuing to rise.
One of the main factors in the rising STD rates continues to be the lack of comprehensive sex education classes in the public school system. Studies and the climbing teen pregnancy rate indicate that students are sexually active, and that abstinence based education classes are not always effective. Simply providing teens with the knowledge they need to protect themselves would go a long ways towards lowering teen pregnancy and STD rates.
The city is also recovering from a financial crisis that forced it to cut funding to many of its health care programs. When this is combined with Medicaid no longer covering STD testing many residents simply cannot afford the fees. These are only a few of the factors that are contributing to the area’s high STD rates, and stress the importance of being tested for all sexually transmitted diseases on a regular basis.
Before you head off to spend the day shopping at some of the city’s unique boutiques or pay a visit to the only tree that owns the property it is growing on, pop in at a lab on the way. Making an appointment for same day STI testing is a breeze, and your confidential results will be delivered privately. It only takes a moment to get yourself tested.
Each page below contains a detailed report of the local area, location STD statistics and clinic reviews of some the top STD testing locations. The content is curated by our very own editors and medical experts.