Advertise With UsAdvertise on our extensive network of industry websites and newsletters.
Get the PBR newsletterSign up to our free email to get all the latest PBR
news.The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), in observance of Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Month, is recognizing Connecticut STD Testing Day on April 22, 2009. DPH urges sexually active Connecticut residents to consider their sexual health and “Get Yourself Tested” for STDs. There are several public STD clinics throughout the state, which offer STD testing at no charge.
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Anyone who is 13 years of age or older can be treated or tested for STDs confidentially and without parental consent.
“Taking care of your sexual health is very important as many STDs, if untreated, can lead to serious complications and illness,” stated DPH spokesman. “Since many STDs have no signs or symptoms, it is important that people who are sexually active are tested regularly to prevent serious illness and spread of the disease.”
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) pose a serious public health threat to Americans – particularly young women, African Americans, men who have sex with men (MSM), and individuals living in poverty or with limited access to healthcare. Approximately 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur every year in the US – and almost half of these are among young people aged 15 to 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One in four adults in the US has an STD.
STDs cost the US’ health care system as much as $15.5 billion annually. STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are major causes of infertility among women. These and other common STDs can increase the risk of HIV transmission for both men and women.
According to health officials, there are many effective ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat STDs. STD screening and early diagnosis are vital to prevent serious health consequences and continued transmission. Screening is particularly important since many STDs often have no signs or symptoms. The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for sexually active women under the age of 26. CDC also recommends that girls and women between the ages of 11 and 26 be fully vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). This vaccine prevents infection with the main strains of HPV that cause genital warts and cervical cancer.
For sexually active MSM, CDC recommends annual HIV and syphilis blood testing and annual chlamydia and gonorrhea testing with more frequent testing for MSM who engage in high-risk behavior.
It is important that people who test positive for an STD notify their partner so that they can be tested and treated as well. If you have difficulty locating or telling your partner, there are confidential programs in place to assist with partner notification.