Free STD Testing in Naples, FL

Chlamydia tops the list of the most reported cases of STD infections in city. Its rates have slowly been on the upward trend over the past decade and almost doubling in the previous two.

• According to the health data records of the city, 726 cases of the disease were reported in 2008.
• The number rose by 17.32% to 894 in 2015.
• STD statistics also indicate that Gonorrhea is also prevalent in the city, with a majority of people aged below 35 and above 16 being the majority of the statistic.

However, the reported cases indicate a 4.26% drop from the years running from 2008 (94 cases) to 2015 (90 cases). Other than gonorrhea and chlamydia, syphilis infections have also been recorded to have tripled from 10 cases in 2008 to 47 in 2015. This was a 370% increase, the highest rate of any STD stated in the city over the years. Health officials speculate that the numbers are expected to increase due to the increased number of sexually active individuals visiting the city.

Recently detected cases of HIV have been reducing over the previous years. 149 new cases were diagnosed in 2012. The number dropped to 111 in 2014. White individuals accounted for 50.5%, the highest, of the population of infected with HIV. Women were at a significantly less at-risk than men, who accounted for 73.9% of the reported cases. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), any person aged between 13 to 64 years should take a HIV test at least once a year.

School districts within the city follow a strict guideline laid down by the State’s Department of Education. They adhere to all set standards that include provision of sexual health awareness programs in their syllabus.

These programs, designed for children aged 7-12 years, include education on drawbacks of teenage pregnancies, importance and benefits accrued from sexual abstinence. Teachers stress on the importance of abstinence-until-marriage to the learners. This way they know that the best way of avoiding teen pregnancy is through abstinence. Additionally, children also learn dating violence, abuse and some of the signs of abusive behavior in a relationship.

The community also chips in to the curriculum by educating the children on what steps to take when they notice cases of violence. They are exposed to community resources available for them to take action should they be victims of such flawed acts. The city’s polices require schools to include HIV awareness education in the syllabus. However, the material and content offered should include age-appropriate and medically approved materials.

A large percentage of STD incidents in teenagers indicate that high school aged individuals are more susceptible to contacting infections than any other age group. Teenagers aged from 15 to 19 years are the second largest group to report infection cases in the city. Girls and women with multiple sex partners often test positive for one or two of the STDs. The CDC advocates for you to occasionally get tested for STDs if you have numerous sex partners.

Women and men in the city and Collier country presented a total 894 cases as reported to the State’s Health Department. The transgender community also contributed to a minute figure in these cases. Nevertheless, the city’s health department records show that Chlamydia was the most common STD in both men and women; each having 50% of the total count.

The city accounts for a relatively miniscule percentage of the total number of infected individuals in the state; 1% to be precise. Residents between ages 20-29 recorded the highest number of Chlamydia infections. A small group of reports indicates transgender infection.

Gonorrhea mostly affects people aged 20-34 in Naples. Most women affected by gonorrhea have sexual relations with other women. This is also true for men having sex with men. The disease is not so much prevalent in the transgender community.

The area constitutes 1% of all syphilis cases reported in the state. Men are the most affected with 90% of the cases. Of the 47 cases reported in 2015, five were women. Syphilis, unlike gonorrhea and HIV, is most prevalent in individuals aged 25 and older.

CDC recommends that any sexually active individual should screen for this disease at least once a year. For the transsexual, men having sex with men and women having sex with women, CDC advises you to get tested more regularly, at least tri-annually if possible. If you are below the age of 25 and have multiple sex partners, then an annual testing program is fit for you.

Should you be concern that you have contacted, or at least exposed to an STD, getting tested is an easy, and accurate procedure. The city has various options for testing and treating STDs. Long lines and crowded waiting rooms is making it difficult for some residents to take care of their sexual health, and now they have another option. With just one phone call you can schedule confidential STD testing, and only spend a few minutes at a local lab. This way you still have plenty of time to enjoy a day in the sunshine.