Free STD Testing in Camden, NJ

Camden county has the second largest number of cases of STDs in the state.

• For chlamydia the number of cases was 2902
• For gonorrhea the number of cases was 924
• For syphilis the number of cases was 49

Here are the statistics on chlamydia by race where we see the largest numbers for Blacks for Camden county.

• 1181 Black/African American
• 15 Asian
• 495 Hispanic/Latino
• 571 White
• 1127 Unknown/other

The racial makeup of Camden county for 2010 was 70.88% White American, 18.09% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 3.72% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.09% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. 9.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

While New Jersey is small as compared to other states especially those in the West, it ranks in the center of STD rates. This includes rates for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Here are the statistics for the state.

• 7,486 cases of gonorrhea
• 27,269 cases of chlamydia
• 229 cases of syphilis (primary)
• 410 cases of early-latent syphilis

Let’s get some insight by looking even more closely at the statistics for gonorrhea for the state from 2010 to 2015 for ages 15-44. We do not know the reason why the rates spiked for males but can consider that there was unprotected sex.

• Rates increased for males
• Rates were steady for females except for 2012 when rates spiked up
• Rates increased overall in that time period

New Jersey according to some has developed a reputation as a leader nationally in sex education for decades. They were the first state in the country to pass a mandate for sex education classes.

We still need to ask the question if teens are getting all the information they need from their high school sex education classes. One who believes it is not enough is Nicole Cushman.

Cushman is the executive director of Answer and part of a program at New Jersey’s Rutgers University/Center for Applied Psychology. Answer is a program dedicated to promoting access to comprehensive sex education.

Cushman feels that comprehensive standards don’t always translate to effective teaching. She notes that students are not always satisfied with the information they are getting in school. She reports that young people are not getting in the classroom a safe place to talk about relationships and sexuality which is what they need.

Students report that they get clinical information in the sex education class. The class does not address their lives. They want sex education that is relevant for everyone. Some teachers do not feel comfortable addressing gender identity issues. Students are accepting of LGBTQ individuals. Students are also coming to terms with their sexual identity at a younger age.

Cushman does not want sex education to be a place for young people to divulge personal information. It should be a place for discussing issues and not personal situations. She said sex education is challenging and requires a unique skill set. Cushman is devoted to teacher training. She feels that many teachers do not now get adequate specialized training when getting their credentials.

They are in a classroom with a curriculum and standards and not much guidance. She has worked with the New Jersey Department of Education to help with this. The state board of education adopts standards on what to teach for sex education.

The state law requires schools to stress abstinence as the only reliable way to prevent pregnancy. The school and district choose how best to instruct students in the district about those standards.

Demographics play a role in STI rates in the Camden area. Here are some demographics to consider.

• Young people ages 15 to 24 face the greatest risk of becoming infected
• Young people ages 15 to 24 account for about 75 percent of chlamydia diagnoses
• Young people ages 15 to 24 account for about 50 percent of gonorrhea diagnoses
• Gay and bisexual men are at increased risk for contracting gonorrhea and syphilis cases
• Roughly four out of five new cases of gonorrhea and syphilis are attributed to sex between men
• Gay and bisexual men are more at risk for getting a version of gonorrhea that is resistant to antibiotics.

There is a marked increase in the number of newborns born with syphilis nationwide. New Jersey is one of 19 states that did not report a single case of a newborn with syphilis in 2015. The last case here was in 2012. However, every county but Cape May reported at least one case of syphilis.

With blacks making up 18 percent of the population in Camden we see they have a disproportionate representation for rates of chlamydia. Blacks are about twice as likely to have chlamydia than whites. Whites make up 70 percent of the population of Camden. They account for less than half the cases of chlamydia.

There are many resources available to you in your city and the Camden area for you to learn about STDs and where to get testing and treatment. Planned Parenthood/Camden Health Center, an area high school, an area hospital, or a testing service could help.

At the Camden Health Center/Planned Parenthood facility you can get STD testing, treatment, and vaccines. Remember the center deals with both women’s and men’s issues. With regard to STD testing, diagnosis, and treatment this includes chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and other conditions such as bacterial vaginosis, genital warts, herpes, and trichomoniasis (trich). HIV testing and diagnosis are also services provided at the site.

You can also get information on STD prevention, condoms, female condoms, and dental dams at Camden/Planned Parenthood. Services are available on a walk in basis or by appointment.  The facility can use a urine sample to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. If you test positive, you can get treatment for yourself and your partner. A finger stick blood sample can provide a rapid HIV test. Results are available in 10 to 40 minutes.

A service such as Plush Care or STD Test Express could be another option for you. Plush Care advertises that its service is easy. They are 100 percent confidential too. You order your test. Then you go to a local lab. Then you get your results. You can get a lab test without talking to a doctor if you want.

If you are not sure which tests to order, the Plush Care service can help you. You get a personalized form to take to the lab. You provide either a urine or blood sample. You get results via email in 3 business days. If you test positive you can talk with a doctor at the service to get a treatment plan.

The East Camden Health Center is another option. The facility offers HIV testing and can refer you to another clinic for additional screening for other STIs. HIV is the most dangerous STD.

Request A Test is another service you could use. This service provides many kinds of tests including STD tests. They advertise one of the most comprehensive online STD tests available. They provide a service that is 100 percent confidential and direct to the consumer.

Request A Test also partners with labs to provide the kind of testing you would get from a doctor’s order. Results come back as early as one day. They cover testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis, herpes, HIV, and syphilis. They even offer discount STD testing packages. One of these is a 10 panel STD and HIV testing package. Another is an STD testing panel with five different diseases. Another is a complete hepatitis package.

Whether you go to Camden Health Center/Planned Parenthood, a high school counsellor or nurse at an area high school, an online service, or a clinic or hospital, you can find in your area information about STDs, testing, and treatment. While STD rates are high in the Camden area, help is available in your city in the way of testing and treatment that is confidential, discreet, compassionate, and effective, with many facilities having a bilingual staff.

Consider how the staff at these facilities is trained to help someone like you, especially with the staff at Camden Health Center/Planned Parenthood or any other facility reminding you to check your health, improve it, and keep yourself healthy by always using a condom. Here are links to resources mentioned above.

http://www.cooperhealth.org