Free STD Testing in Greenwood, MS

Statistics show recent STD trends in the Greenwood area. Although data is only available for Leflore County, it is indicative of the STD rates in the Greenwood area.

In 2015, the Chlamydia rate in Leflore County reached a 5-year low. In fact, between 2014 and 2015, the county rate decreased by 41%. In 2015, there were a total of 294 cases reported at a rate of 948.4 per 100,000 population. Despite recent trends, the county rate remains high. The statewide rate was 580.6 per 100,000 population in 2015.

Between 2014 and 2015, the rate for Gonorrhea in Leflore County showed no significant change. In recent years, the county rate has been relatively unstable. In 2015, there were 130 cases reported in the county at a rate of 419.4 per 100,000 population. Only about 2% of the state’s total cases are found in Leflore County.

In recent years, statistics for Primary and Secondary Syphilis were not publish for Leflore County. Since fewer cases exist, it can be difficult to record accurate data. However, statistics are available for 2015. Only 1 case was reported in the county, and the rate was 3.2 per 100,000 population.

The highest HIV rate in Mississippi was found in Hinds County. In 2015, only 7 cases were reported in Leflore County at a rate of 22.6 per 100,000 population. Between 2014 and 2015, the rate decreased by 11%.

The state of Mississippi does, in fact, require local schools to teach sexual education. HIV education is not required, even 37 states in the county mandate HIV education. However, according to state regulations, local schools may include topics such as contraception  or STIs only with permission from the Mississippi Department of Education.

There are no standards in Mississippi that require sexual education to be medically accurate. A recent law sought to “require sex-related education to consist of medically accurate comprehensive instruction or program.” However, the law failed to pass in the legislature.

Medically accurate information is key to a reliable sexual education program. Misleading or incomplete information about sexual health and STD prevention can have harmful consequences for public health. Teens and young adults need to trust the information that is coming from local schools.

The school district in Greenwood is the Greenwood Public School District. There are six schools in the district including Greenwood High School, Greenwood Middle School, Bankston Elementary, Davis Elementary, Threadgill Elementary and W.C. Williams Elementary.

The Greenwood Public School District has the following policy related to health education: “Health education shall be included in the basic education program at all grade levels. Individual classroom teachers have primary responsibility in teaching health education.”

Females show higher rates for Chlamydia than males in Mississippi. For example, the number of female cases was 12,336 in 2015, compared to 5,019 male cases. Some age groups had higher rates for Chlamydia. In particular, the 15-19 and 20-24 age groups showed the highest rates. Statistics are clear that STD rates are most common among teens and young adults. African Americans in Mississippi were disproportionately affected by Chlamydia.

While Chlamydia cases are typically concentrated among women, Gonorrhea cases tend to affect both men and women in Mississippi. Women had a total of 3,131 cases in 2015, while men had 2,638 cases. The age group most affected by the spread of Gonorrhea in Mississippi was the 20-24 age group. Increased teen sexual activity has increased STD rates among young people.

Syphilis is an STD that primarily affects males, and the majority of cases in Mississippi were reported among males. In total, there were 187 male cases reported and only 32 female cases reported. That means that 85% of the total cases were reported among men. African American men showed the highest rate among subgroups.

In 2015, there were a total of 509 cases of HIV reported in the state of Mississippi. Most of these cases were reported among men. In fact, 78% of the cases were male cases. African American men had the majority of male cases, representing a serious public health concern in Mississippi.

Although there is no Planned Parenthood location in Greenwood, STI testing resources are available throughout Leflore County.

Individuals in the Greenwood area can get tested for STDs at the Leflore County Health Department. The health department is located at 2600 Browning Road in Greenwood. The following services are available at the clinic: Hepatitis B Vaccine, Chlamydia Test, Conventional, HIV Blood Test, HPV Vaccine, Syphilis Test, Gonorrhea Test and Hepatitis A Vaccine. Some services may require an appointment, and walk-ins are accepted.

Unfortunately, there is only one Planned Parenthood location in the state of Mississippi. The state’s only Planned Parenthood clinic is located in Hattiesburg.

Since Hattiesburg is far from Greenwood, individuals are better off traveling to Planned Parenthood’s Memphis Health Center for STD testing resources. This is still a long trip, and other reliable STD testing services are available in the Greenwood area.

After Hours Clinic is an urgent care facility in downtown Greenwood. Located at 1601 Strong Avenue, the clinic provides STD testing and treatment services. Individuals in the area shouldn’t forget that STD testing is also available through their primary care provider.

According to statistics, African Americans are disproportionately affected by STDs like Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis. African American youth show especially high rates. These statistics and demographic data on Greenwood underline the need for reliable STD testing.

STI testing resources are critical to protecting the public health. More resources should be available to individuals in the Greenwood area. Currently, the Leflore County Health Department, health clinics and primary care providers offer STD testing services.