Planned Parenthood is offering free sexually transmitted disease testing in Wisconsin during the month of April as part of STD Awareness Month.
As part of this Get Yourself Tested campaign, anyone can get tested for gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIV at any Planned Parenthood health center in Wisconsin throughout the month, Meghan Benson, director of community education at Planned Parenthood Wisconsin, said.
Many STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases, do not show symptoms immediately, sometimes not for years. The term STI refers to sexually transmitted infections, which unlike STDs sometimes do not show symptoms at all.
Young adults between ages 15-24 have the highest prevalence of STIs, according to Dr. Craig Roberts of University Health Services. For this reason, it often seems like college students have a high number of STIs. However, STI prevalence is more related to age than it is to college attendance, Roberts said.
“In general, STIs are not that common,” Roberts said. “We do about 6,000 tests a year, and we typically see about 500-600 people a year that have something.”
For every case of diagnosed gonorrhea or chlamydia, there is at least one individual who is infected without realizing it, Benson said. Having an STI and not getting treatment can result in long-term health effects, such as infertility and increased risk of cervical cancer.
Benson said it’s extremely important for young people in particular to get tested. Individuals between the ages of 20 and 24 account for more than 40 percent of all portable STDs in Wisconsin.
“In the United States, one in two young people will be infected with a sexually transmitted infection by the time they’re 25,” Benson said. “People aren’t aware of how prevalent they are, but all STDs are treatable and many are actually curable.”
In 2014, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin saw over 3,100 patients for STD testing during the month of April.
STI screening is also available on campus, Roberts said.
“UHS has a full service comprehensive STI clinic, so we pretty much test for everything that’s available or that people need to be tested for,” Roberts said. “The visit is free, and the test is free.”
Most people who are tested at UHS are screened for chlamydia and HIV. HIV cases are quite rare, but testing is recommended for everyone who has had sexual activity, Roberts said. Chlamydia is the most prevalent STI.
UHS also screens for other infections, like syphilis or hepatitis, based on certain risk factors, but not everyone needs to be tested for all infections, Roberts said. HPV vaccines are available, but they are not included in student health fees.
PPWI spokesperson Iris Riis said people should not be intimidated by the prospect of getting tested for STDs.
“The tests are fairly quick, easy and pretty non-invasive,” Riis said. “People shouldn’t be afraid to get tested.”
Different health centers can have varying hours and days of operation, which can be found on the PPWI website, and appointments can also be scheduled online.
Benson said the gonorrhea and chlamydia testing process generally consists of a urine sample, and the HIV test requires a finger prick for a drop of blood.
“Testing is actually really easy,” Benson said. “We encourage people to schedule appointments before coming in because we can usually see people faster that way.”
