Free STD Testing Near You in Lexington, KY

Why not enjoy life to the fullest in the greater Lexington-Fayette instead of questioning your sexual health status? Getting the answers you need can be simple, convenient, discreet and cost-effective. With rates in the county continuing to increase, it’s important for anyone at risk to consider STD testing as soon as possible. At-risk individuals include anyone who has never been tested before, anyone recently engaged in unprotected sex, anyone exposed to an STD or in a relationship with an STI-positive partner, anyone experiencing STD-like symptoms. High-risk populations for STDs are typically adolescents and young adults, gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men and certain minority groups.⁵

Getting tested for sexually transmitted diseasea can seem stressful, embarrassing and even shameful, but it doesn’t need to be that way. According to the CDC, all STDs can be treated and many can be cured, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis.⁵ Even an HIV diagnosis, properly linked to care, is far more manageable today than it was in years’ past. With antiretroviral therapy, it’s possible for positive patients to achieve viral suppression, defined as little evidence of the virus present in their system.⁶ However, if any of these infections go untreated, complications can range from pelvic inflammatory disease in women, epididymitis in men, and the transmission of congenital or perinatal conditions from mother to child. With advanced options for treatment, don’t let fear stand in the way of knowing about your STD status.

In 2015, the number of reported HIV in Lexington and Fayette County totaled 1,282, compared to 1,237 the year before. The state of Kentucky ranks 26th in the Union for total HIV infections, according the the 2014 National STD Surveillance Report, published by the CDC. In the state of Kentucky, the rate of chlamydia continues to climb year-over-year, with a rate of 391.1 cases per 100,000 reported in 2013 compared to a rate of 402.2/100,000 in 2014. Compared to the rest of the states in the country, ranks 33rd out of 50. Another commonly reported sexually transmitted disease revealing an increased rate of infection is gonorrhea, with 98.5 cases per 100,000 in 2013 compared to 111/100,000 in 2014.^2&3

Primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis, though reported far less numbers compared to chlamydia and gonorrhea, can present serious medical complications if left untreated, such as neurosyphilis, ocular syphilis or congenital syphilis. Congenital syphilis is condition passed from mother to child that can cause severe issues at birth or even death. The P&S syphilis rate in Kentucky in 2013 was 2.8 and increased to 6 in 2014.^2&3 The best way to stop sexually transmitted diseases from spreading is to get tested and treated or even cured, depending on the condition. STDtest.com is here to help make this process as simple and convenient and possible.

The state of sexual education Lexington, Fayette County and across the state of Kentucky hinges upon a balance between traditional values and moving in the direction of comprehensive sexual education. As recently as 2007, the main source of funding for Kentucky public schools sexual education programming hinged upon the focus on “Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage” or “Abstinence-Stress” curriculum. According to the Guttmacher Institute report released in March 2016, a conclusion can be drawn that an “Abstinence-Only” policy is not mandated by the state currently. This report, a state-by-state comparison of sex and HIV education policies and standards, references that Kentucky requires both sex and HIV education by law, and only instructs educators to cover abstinence as an effective method of STD and teen pregnancy prevention, compared to other states where the mandate is to “stress abstinence”.^7&8

This approach of opening the dialogue and requiring education about these diseases that pose a real risk for young adults and teenagers not just in Lexington and Fayette County is important for their better health. The CDC projects that of the 20 million new sexually transmitted diseases estimated each year, nearly 10 million are by young people age 15-24.⁹ Continuing to educate this population about the risks, when to get tested, and how to get treated is essential for the continued health of Lexington’s youth.

In Kentucky, the demographic distribution of sexually transmitted disease impacts different segments of the populations, sometimes with great disparity. The demographic community at highest risk for HIV infection is men who have sex with men (MSM), reporting 69% of all infections across the state of Kentucky. The group with the next highest reports of infections was heterosexual transmission, with 19.9% of diagnoses. The racial/ethnic group most impacted by the spread of HIV in Kentucky is the Caucasian population, reporting 56.6% of new cases.¹⁰

Women in Kentucky report chlamydia infections at 2.4 times the rate of men, a trend that is consistent with the demographic distribution of this commonly reported sexually transmitted disease across the United States. Of the women who did report new infections of chlamydia as of 2013, the age group with the highest number of cases was the 20-24 year old population, followed by 15-19 year olds. Of all women who reported gonorrhea infections in the state, the age group with the highest number of infections was 20-24 year olds, according to the recent CDC report. Getting tested and treated for sexually transmitted disease is an essential choice to make for lowering the rate of infection in Lexington, the state of Kentucky and all across the US.¹⁰

Those who live in Lexington should make the most of their free time engaged in what they most enjoy, like a day with family and friends at the Keeneland Horse Track, rather than waiting and worrying about their STD status. Testing with STDtest.com is fast, convenient, discreet and affordable. To begin, you’ll answer a few brief medical questions to receive a doctor-recommended panel of tests customized to your personal history and symptoms. Next, you’ll select a testing option. You can choose a lab nearest you from a national network of thousands where you’ll get your test samples collected. If available in your area, you can get tested at home, work or anywhere you choose with In-Home Collection.

For both options, results are usually available in three business days or less. Our medical team is available for a follow up consult to discuss your diagnosis, answer any questions or even to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate or if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.

References:

1 US Census Bureau Quick Facts – Lexington-Fayette, KY
2 Kentucky HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report June 2015
3 Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia Rates Rising for First Time in Years
4 CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2014
5 The Lowdown on Preventing Sexually Transmitted Disease
6 CDC – HIV/AIDS Treatment
7 Kentucky Sexuality Education Law and Policy
8 Guttmacher Institute State Policies in Brief – Sex and HIV Education
9 Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Young Americans
10 Kentucky – 2015 State Health Profile