Free STD Testing Near You in Arlington, VA

Similar to neighboring Alexandria, Arlington is both incorporated in the state of Virginia and also functions as the second largest city in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Arlington County is home to nearly 230,000 residents, compared to nearly 8.4 million in the state of Virginia.⁴

Although Arlington reports the rise of several STDs in the area, one sexually transmitted infection currently on the decline are new reported infections of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis. According to the CDC, as many as 1 in 8 people have STDs in the United States and aren’t aware of their diagnosis,⁵ which makes the transmission of these diseases even faster and more wide-spread. An important step in lowering the STD rates in any community is getting tested. STDtest.com offers a fast, confidential and affordable option. Choose your tests and lab location and you’ll be on your way. Read on to learn more.

The most recent surveillance reports demonstrate an increase in new chlamydia infections from 2013 to 2014. In 2014, 747 cases were reported in Arlington County, compared to 591 in 2013 and 554 in 2012. The rate of infection also increased from 2014 to 2015, from 262.8 cases per 100,000 people compared to 332.1/100,000. The rest of Virginia reported an increase as well, reporting 33,818 cases in 2013 compared to 35,250 in 2014. Another sexually transmitted disease on the rise in the Arlington County area is gonorrhea, with 135 new cases reported in 2014 up from 112 in 2014. The rate of infection increased from 49.8 infections per 100,000 people to 60/100,000. ^2&3

In contrast, the Arlington area also witnesses the decline of sexually transmitted in the area, like new HIV diagnoses and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis. Of the 929 total cases reported in Virginia in for new infections of HIV, the Arlington County area accounts for 30, down from 44 2013. The number of P&S syphilis cases dropped from 21 to 12 between 2013 and 2014, and also decreased by rate. 9.3/100,000 were affected in 2013 compared to 5.3/100,000 in 2014, a significant decrease. The numbers of total early syphilis in Arlington County also decreased from 2013 to 2014. Early syphilis is categorized by a detection of the infection within the first year of getting contracted by an individual. From 2013 to 2014, the number of new infections reported in shifted from 35 to 23. ^{1, 6&7}

According to the curriculum guidelines of Family Life Education as delineated by the Code of Virginia, it is required that students K-12 receive age-appropriate, comprehensive health and sexual education that follows a chronological sequence. A few integral tenets include the importance of sex within marriage, the importance of abstinence and alternative methods of contraception. The curriculum also stresses the importance of healthy dating and relationships.

While Virginia does not require its schools to enroll in abstinence-only sexual education programs, public schools are required to stress abstinence as the most effective method of birth control and defense against sexually transmitted diseases. All parents or guardians must be notified prior the the commencement of Family Life Education units and all parents or guardians reserve the right to opt-out of any programming.

Arlington Public Schools and the state of Virginia are dedicated to continually evaluating their methods of sexual education instruction for effectiveness and medical accuracy. Giving students knowledge of the risks that accompany sex can help them navigate decisions in the future about knowing when to get tested. STDs that commonly affect young people in Arlington, Virginia and nationwide, like chlamydia and gonorrhea, often present with no symptoms.¹⁰ Getting tested is often the most secure way to find out if one has been infected a sexually transmitted disease.

In Arlington County and across Virginia, chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease. Statewide, it affects 20-24 year olds in the greatest numbers, with this age group accounting for 14,720 of the 35,250 new infections reported in 2014. Women are far more likely to be affected than men, as evidenced by 24,158 infections reported in women compared to 11,045 reported in men. The African American population in Virginia accounts for the highest number of chlamydia cases, totaling 15,264 cases compared to 7,702 reported by caucasians and 1,507 reported by the Hispanic population.³

Gonorrhea’s demographic trends are similar to those of chlamydia in its racial distribution, but the trends affecting men and women are not comparable. Of the 8,127 cases reported in Virginia in 2014, 4,920 were reported in females compared to 3,827 reported in the male population of the state. Primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis sees trends that affect the male population far more than the female, as further evidenced by the Virginia Department of Health Surveillance Report. In 2014, 281 P&S cases total were reported; 268 in males, 13 in females. 2&4

HIV in Arlington County and Virginia reports trends that are similar to reports from across the country, in that the African Americans are associated with a disproportionately high number of infections in the metropolitan area. Of the 929 cases reported to the state of Virginia in 2014, 581 were reported in members of the African American population, followed by 219 new infections reported in whites and 92 new infections reported in the Hispanic community.

Testing options in Arlington can vary, from setting up an appointment at a local physician’s office, or walking into a free clinic. There’s another option that is convenient, professional and safe, and you can get started online rather than waiting to schedule or walking to a clinic with an undetermined wait time.

Isn’t your free time better spent rooting on the Nationals than waiting and worrying about your STD testing options? Our service provides STD testing that is convenient, discreet and affordable. To get started, all you need to do is choose your panel of tests and then choose the lab location nearest you from our nationwide network of thousands for test sample collection, no appointment needed.

Test results are usually available in 48 hours or less. Our medical team is available for follow up, to answer any questions you might have and to prescribe additional treatment if medically appropriate and allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better sexual health.

References:

1 Virginia HIV Surveillance Annual Report 2015
2 Virginia STD Surveillance Report March 2015 – Gonorrhea
3 Virginia STD Surveillance Report March 2015 – Chlamydia
4 US Census Bureau Quick Facts – Arlington County and Virginia
5 CDC – Basic Statistics
6 Virginia STD Surveillance Report March 2015 – Primary and Secondary Syphilis
7 Virginia STD Surveillance Report March 2015 – Total Early Syphilis (TES)
8 Family Life Education – Board of Education Guidelines and Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools
9 Arlington Public Schools SPB 20-3 Program Differentiation
10 Incidence, Prevalence, and Cost of Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United States