Free STD Testing in Yucaipa, CA

In San Bernardino County, between 2011 and 2015, reported gonorrhea cases increased by 96 percent. Syphilis increased by 137 percent and chlamydia increased by 2.5 percent.

STD rates in California are the worst they have been in two decades. National statistics show a rise in STDs, and California is worse with this including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

Cases have increased over 10 percent in California for the three STIs since 2014 which was the worst previous year. Here are rates for chlamydia.

479 per 100,000 in the United States

486 per 100,000 in California

Dr. Ron Chapman is the director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). He recently noted that the increase in STDs in California and your area is concerning particularly because STDs are preventable.

We see recent reports in the state of almost 168,000 cases of chlamydia, over 38,000 cases of gonorrhea, over 3,500 cases of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis, almost 2,900 cases of early latent syphilis, and over 3,600 cases of late latent syphilis, for a total of 216,000 reportable cases of STDs. Rates of chlamydia are 239 per 100,000 in population.

STD rates continue to be highest in young people 15-24 years of age, especially for females. Over 66% of female chlamydia cases and over 54% of female gonorrhea cases are in this narrow age group. Young women are vulnerable to infertility and other long-term reproductive health problems caused by STDs.

Comprehensive sex education is the law in California. This means that all public schools in California are required by law to teach comprehensive sex education and HIV prevention education at least once in middle school and once in high school.

Comprehensive sex education includes learning about anatomy and birth control. It also means students are taught about healthy relationships, decision-making, and more.

This sex education should give students information to make healthy decisions about relationships and sexual and reproductive health. The sex education curriculum in school should include information about:

• Sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sex trafficking
• Health relationships
• Adolescent relationship abuse, intimate partner violence and sexual coercion
• Sexual orientation and sexuality
• Gender identity, gender roles, and gender stereotypes
• Consent, communication, and healthy decision-making
• HIV prevention and other STD prevention including testing and treatment
• Pregnancy prevention, parenting, adoption, and abortion

It is the right of a student to get this information in schools. A group called Teen Source asks students if they are actually getting comprehensive sex education at school.

Teen Source provides students with a questionnaire online to fill out to say if they have not received sex education covering all of the above. Teen Source also gives students a chance to explain if they have received information that is not accurate.

Legislation passed in California, AB 329, requires sexual health and HIV prevention education in public schools. This has helped Planned Parenthood reach more youth, but there still are young adults in their 20s who lack information.

A lot of people in college have limited info because they had limited or no sex education. It’s still a big issue in families where people don’t talk about it or it’s considered taboo.

Planned Parenthood offers education services to anybody in the community. This can be a family, small group, or class.

A look at demographics can help our understanding of STI rates in your city and region. The demographic that is most likely to be infected and least likely to get tested is people 25 and younger.  Some experts blame the rates of STDs in this demographic in part on the use of new hook up apps that lead to casual sex among people 25 and younger.

Concerning the jump in the state for STDs, officials are not sure of all the reasons. People are not using condoms regularly so this could lead to the higher STD rates. People are going without testing and treatment and unknowingly spreading STDs. This is another possible reason for the higher rates.

We also see reports that STD prevention systems have been weakened because local and state clinics have reduced capacity or closed in the last few years. This also contributes to higher STI rates.

HIV diagnoses were 85 percent for men having sex with men in 2013. Gay men saw the highest rates for STDs.  Twice as many women suffer from chlamydia compared to men.

Men suffer in higher numbers than women from other STDs including syphilis and HIV. STD rates also are generally higher in areas with a high poverty rate.

Racial disparities persist. We have seen annual rates for gonorrhea of 351.1 per 100,000 with this being 6.2 times the non-Hispanic white rate of 57 per 100,000.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is addressing these disparities in STDs. They have identified census tracts with high numbers of gonorrhea and racial disparities and puts an intervention focus in these area.

The group is also collaborating with the California Department of Education. They are trying to reduce the high rates of STDs among youth through supporting comprehensive sex education, improving access to sexual health services, and helping schools build supportive environments for all youth, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

The CDPH trains medical providers to assure that they are assessing their patients’ risk for STDs, screening appropriately and using the most effective treatments. The CDPH also works with local health jurisdictions to coordinate disease prevention and control efforts statewide. They help identify infected individuals and assure that they and their partners get treated.

There are several options for you to get STI testing.

Moreno Valley Health Center/Planned Parenthood is a facility that can help you. Services include:

• Chlamydia Test
• Conventional HIV Blood Test
• Gonorrhea Test
• Hepatitis B Test
• Hepatitis C Test
• Herpes Test
• Rapid HIV Blood Test

Concerning the Planned Parenthood location, know that if you are uninsured, you may qualify for a state-funded program or a lower fee scale. Bring a photo ID with you.

Know also that fees for services are based on your household incomes. You will not be turned away because of your inability to pay.

This health center supports and welcomes clients regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or biological sex, including but not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex clients. All services are provided in a respectful and professional manner.

Planned Parenthood launched an app in California to encourage people to get STD testing. Through the app men and women can order chlamydia and gonorrhea tests.

If you are embarrassed to be seen at Planned Parenthood you could consider the hospital or urgent care option. No one will know why you are there. Yet another option is a private service such as PlushCare.

You order your STD tests. Then you visit a local lab. Then you get results via email in three business days or less. When you order you choose the tests you want to order.

You can also use the STD Check private service. This service is advertised as being 100 percent confidential. All tests are FDA approved. Same day testing is also available. Five-minute testing is an option with results in one to two days.

STD Check does not accept insurance. This way your testing results are not reported to your insurance company. This service provides a free phone consultation with a doctor for every test where you have a positive result.

Whether you go to an urgent care center, hospital, clinic, Planned Parenthood, a counsellor or nurse at an area high school, or an online service, you can find in your area information about STDs, testing, and treatment in your area. While STD rates are high in your area, help is available in your area in the way of testing and treatment that is confidential, discreet, compassionate, and effective.

Consider how the staff at these facilities is trained to help someone like you, especially with the staff at Planned Parenthood or any other facility reminding you to check your health, improve it, and keep yourself healthy by always using a condom.

You can get information about STDs, testing, and treatment from a counsellor or nurse at an area school such as Yucaipa High School. You can also get this information from an area hospital such as Redlands Community Hospitals. Here are links to these resources.