Horry County reports 495 chlamydia cases per 100,000 residents, near the US average. Whether you need STI testing for a one-time concern or regular check-ups in Howells, South Carolina, clinics may bill insurance or offer sliding-scale fees. Private labs let you pay a flat self-pay price. See the options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Howells, SC. The nearest, South Carolina Department of Public Health, is about 5.5 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
South Carolina Department of Public Health in Conway tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and hepatitis B and C on a sliding scale accepted by Medicaid and Medicare, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, and care is available in Spanish.
Plenty of testing sites cap their panel at gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV and send you elsewhere for anything else. South Carolina Department of Public Health in Conway runs herpes and both hepatitis B and C in-house, a fuller picture from a single appointment.
The clinic prescribes PrEP for ongoing HIV prevention, PEP for post-exposure management, and DoxyPEP, doxycycline taken after potential bacterial exposure, making it one of few public health sites actively staffing all three prevention regimens rather than handling only one.
Many clinics rely on workarounds when a patient's primary language is Spanish, patched-in services that keep the conversation at arm's length. At South Carolina Department of Public Health in Conway, Spanish-language care is built into how the clinic operates, not layered on after the fact.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Little River Medical Center in Loris runs a full panel (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB) with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections; the sliding-scale fee structure applies to everyone, and an appointment is required.
Sliding-scale clinics routinely land patients with a residual charge once insurance and adjustments are applied. Little River Medical Center in Loris closes that gap entirely, every service, from testing to treatment to vaccines, is provided at no fee.
When a clinic can't conduct a full clinical conversation in Spanish, infections go unmanaged and follow-up doesn't happen. Little River Medical Center in Loris delivers care directly in Spanish, so nothing between a positive result and a completed treatment course gets lost to a language barrier.
Ryan White Program funding at Little River Medical Center in Loris supports the complete arc of HIV care, from rapid and conventional testing through ongoing HIV/AIDS medical treatment and medication adherence counseling, meaning sustained clinical management, not a one-time test, is what the program underwrites.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Health Care Partners of Inc. – Conway Office carries federal qualification that obligates it to charge fees on a sliding scale tied to income, ensuring no one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-ins are welcome for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 6 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Howells, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Horry County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
300 Singleton Ridge Road, Conway, SC 29526
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
394 Singleton Ridge Road, Conway, SC 29526
CMS-certified lab
2404 Wise Road, Conway, SC 29526
CMS-certified lab
808 Farrar Drive, Conway, SC 29526
CMS-certified lab
817 Farrar Drive, Conway, SC 29526
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Howells. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 412 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Howells. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 74 offer telehealth.
Smriti Banthia, MD
Internal medicine · 3485 Mitchell Street, Loris
James Gasque, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 3612 Mitchell Street, Loris
Christopher Po, MD
Internal medicine · 3112 Casey Street, Loris
Roopak Sekhon, MD
Internal medicine · 3655 Mitchell Street, Loris
Merritt King
OB-GYN · 3655 Mitchell Street, Loris
Shannon Tiebout, DO
Family medicine · 3418 Casey Street, Loris
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Howells, SC publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Powers Pharmacy
8.2 miSherry's Meds & More Pharmacy
8.2 miPowers Pharmacy of Loris
8.3 miLoris Drug Store
8.3 mi
8.7 mi Rivertown Pharmacy
9.0 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Howells, SC.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Howells, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Horry County, the county that includes Howells, compare with South Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~30% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#33 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 28% of the state
| Infection | Horry County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 494.6 1,966 cases ▼ 19% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 156.5 622 cases ▼ 30% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 11.3 45 cases ▼ 35% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 19.1 76 cases ▲ 2% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 1 4 cases ▼ 91% | 11.7 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Horry County, chlamydia has fallen from 537.3 to 494.6 per 100,000 (8%), gonorrhea has fallen from 229.9 to 156.5 per 100,000 (32%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 9.4 to 11.3 per 100,000 (20%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Horry County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: South Carolina is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Horry County HIV care continuum (2023)
Horry County recorded 15.1 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Horry County residents living with HIV, 82.5% are in care · 72.3% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Horry County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Howells looks, on the surface, like a community that has figured things out: most households own their homes, more than half of adults are married, and a solid share of families are in genuinely comfortable financial territory. But beneath that stability sits a labor-force picture where fewer than half the adult population is actively working, and unemployment runs high enough that cost and scheduling shape nearly every practical decision, including healthcare ones. That tension matters most for younger adults still building their lives here. People in their late teens and twenties account for a meaningful slice of Howells residents, and this is precisely the life stage when STI rates spike: new partners, shifting circumstances, and a tendency to treat a clinic visit as something to get around to eventually.
When rent consumes close to a thousand dollars a month and the nearest option may require a drive down Veterans Highway rather than a short walk from Bayboro Park, "eventually" has a way of stretching. The testing options listed on this page vary considerably in cost, hours, and distance: details that matter differently depending on whether someone is juggling a second job, a single car, or a tight monthly budget. Knowing which clinic fits those specific constraints is what makes the difference for a household actually using it.
Getting there
At 6.23/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Howells generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 29526 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29526 area around Howells: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Howells alone.
Howells sits in Horry County, ZIP 29526. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Howells? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Horry County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under South Carolina law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Howells-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Howells often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on South Carolina law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In South Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
South Carolina permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in South CarolinaSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
Possibly, Myrtle Beach, SC is close; compare it by distance against South Carolina Department of Public Health.
Medicaid generally covers STD testing, and public clinics test for free regardless of coverage.
Yes, Little River Medical Center (8.2 mi) offers free testing, and public clinics serve the uninsured.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 495 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the South Carolina average.
Lab results typically come back in 1–2 days.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
A retest around 3 months after treatment is recommended for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Syphilis is found with a simple blood test; a reactive screen is confirmed with a second blood test.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.