Free STD Testing Near You in Portland, OR

Staying on top of your sexual health means knowing when to get tested. The most common symptom of an STD is often no symptoms at all, making it easier to spread the infection between partners without either having knowledge. Anyone sexually active who has never been tested, anyone who recently had unprotected sex, anyone who has been with more than one partner recently or within the last year, anyone with an STD-positive partner or who knows they have been exposed to an STD and/or is experiencing symptoms should be tested as soon as possible.

Certain populations at risk should be tested yearly for particular sexually transmitted infection, like sexually active women under the age of 25 or older women who are at risk.⁵ Getting tested shouldn’t feel shameful or embarrassing. With a dedicated team of Care Advisors available 7 days a week from 6 am to 10 pm CT to answer your questions and to guide you in the process, you never have to feel alone. Enjoy life to the fullest in Rose City by being sure about your STD status.

In Portland and Multnomah County, the most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease to the Oregon Department of Public Health is chlamydia. In 2013, a rate of infection of 513.8 cases per 100,000 residents was reported compared to 547.7 per 100,000 in 2014. In the county area, the number of gonorrhea diagnoses continue to climb as well, with an infection rate of 104.1/100,000 in 2013 compared to 123.1/100,000 in 2014. The 2014 chlamydia numbers reflect the highest rate of incidence between 2011 and 2014. The highest rate of gonorrhea infection was reported in 2014 as well. ^2-4

One sexually transmitted disease currently on the decline in the Portland area is syphilis, with a rate of infection of 31.2 new cases per 100,000 residents in Multnomah County compared to 28.7 per 100,000 in 2014. In Multnomah County, HIV infections are on the rise, with a 14.8% increase in the area between 2011 and 2012. Regarding HIV, an early diagnosis can lead to viral load suppression. Getting connected to antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible makes this disease much more easy to manage than in decades past. For anyone at risk for HIV, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) medication and regular testing is imperative for preventing the virus or catching the diagnosis in its earliest stages.^{1, 4 & 6}

Portland and the greater Multnomah County area offers comprehensive sexual education in its public school institutions, as mandated by state law. Legislation passed in 2015 calls for and details this approach to human growth and development education in a school setting, with a focus on the various methods of prevention against sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and unintended teen pregnancy. Also required by the the Oregon State Department of Education is not only curriculum that is age-appropriate, medically accurate and balanced based upon evidence, but additional lessons on sexual consent and healthy relationship development. This well-rounded approach to sexual education opens an important dialogue between students, educators teachers and communicators about the best actions to take when their sexual health is at risk.⁷

Preparing teens with the tools to protect their sexual health in the future is especially important, especially regarding the shocking statistic that close to 10 million of the nearly 20 million sexually transmitted diseases reported annually in the United States are by people age 15-24. In Portland and the greater Multnomah County area, this age group reported 53.5% of all 2014 chlamydia infection, with women especially vulnerable, accounting for 2,573 of the 2014 total number of new diagnoses. Keeping the conversation going about what comes next following a risky sexual behavior could mean the difference between an STD getting diagnosed and treated or an undiagnosed case evolving into a more serious medical issue, like infertility.^2&8

Young people are also affected by the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in addition to chlamydia in the greater Portland area. For example, 15-24 year olds represent 26.5% of 2014 of total gonorrhea infections and 8.1% of early syphilis infections in 2014. Women are typically affected by chlamydia in higher numbers than men, regardless of age group. In 2014, 61.3% of new chlamydia cases were reported in women compared to 38.7% reported in men. The gender gap between men and women for gonorrhea infections is the inverse of chlamydia, with 78.1% new cases reported in men compared to 22% in women. Men are infected by syphilis in far greater numbers than women most typically, and this proves to be true in the Portland area. 96.4% of all new early syphilis infections were reported in men reported  in 2014, compared to 3.6% in women.^2-4

According to the Epidemiologic Profile of HIV/AIDS in Oregon, Multnomah accounts for 19% of the state population, however, 55% of people living with HIV in the state reside in the county, predominantly in Portland. In this metropolitan statistical area, men are 7 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with HIV compared to women. 60% of all MSM transmission cases (men who have sex with men) also live in Multnomah County. Reaching out to these groups at high risk for contracting HIV and encouraging testing and linkage to treatment is an integral tenet of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the plan developed by the US Government in 2015 to target the HIV epidemic.^1&9

Spend more time in Portland doing what you most enjoy, like finding your zen at the Lan Su Chinese Garden, rather than feeling concerned, stressed and worried about your STD status. Getting started with STDtest.com is simple. By answering a few brief questions online or by phone, you’ll receive the doctor-recommended tests right for you, customized to your personal history and symptoms. You can then choose a lab nearest you for test sample collection, or if available in your area, a lab technician can come to you to collect a blood draw or urine sample. With both options, results are usually available in three business days or less. The medical team is available for a follow-up consult, to answer any questions you have an even to prescribe treatment, if medically appropriate and if allowed by state law. Get tested. It’s for your better health.

References: 

1 Epidemiologic Profile of HIV/AIDS in Oregon
2 Oregon Chlamydia Cases, Proportional Morbidity and Incidence by County
3 Oregon Gonorrhea Cases, Proportional Morbidity and Incidence by County
4 Oregon Early Syphilis Cases, Proportional Morbidity and Incidence by County
5 CDC – Chlamydia Fact Sheet
6 CDC – HIV/AIDS Treatment
7 581-022-1440 Human Sexuality Education
8 Sexually Transmitted Infections Between Young Americans
9 National HIV/AIDS Strategy