How Does it Work?
See how simple and easy it is to get tested for STDs in Idaho today
Most people experience feelings of hesitation when going to get tested for STD, despite knowing they might have contracted one. EasySTD was created to change that.
Idaho State recorded an alarming rise in the rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), particularly in chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. It is essential to understand the gravity of the situation and address this issue because sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause long-term health consequences, including infertility, if not treated at the right time.
Board Approved
Medically reviewed by one or more members of the editorial boardWhy Testing Matters?
STIs are generally contagious infections transmitted via the exchange of bodily fluids like blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and/or saliva. These can be transmitted even without having sexual intercourse by exchanging body fluid or skin-to-skin contact. Whoever is sexually active must get tested for STIs frequently, at least once a year. Many infections don’t show any signs or symptoms but can cause chronic health conditions, including cancer and infertility.
The ideal way to avoid such drastic consequences is to regularly practice safe sex and get screened for STIs. Safe sexual practices include avoiding sexual activities that involve penetration, using condoms and contraceptives. Also, make sure your sexual partner(s) should be tested for STIs and observe signs of an STD like warts, genital rashes, abnormal discharge, or sores.
The best way forward is to get regularly tested for STIs before these turn into STDs. It is a crucial aspect of your and your partner’s better sexual health. Usually, infection occurs without any noticeable side effects, making it even more important to talk to your doctor about receiving regular testing. If diagnosed at the right time, STDs can be successfully treated, and if left untreated, it can lead to severe health consequences.
Find a Lab
444 Hospital Way Ste 401, Pocatello, Idaho 83201
Tel: 2082326740
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
2001 S Woodruff Ave Suite 7, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83404
Tel: 2085524826
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
700 W Ironwood Dr, Suite 135, Coeur D'alene, Idaho 83814
Tel: 2089666362
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
980 Ironwood Dr, #103, Coeur D'alene, Idaho 83814
Tel: 2082922782
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
3355 E. Louise Drive, Suite 150, Meridian, Idaho 83642
Tel: 2086053751
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
117 E Ash St, Bellevue, Idaho 83313
Tel: (208) 788-4335
Tel: (208) 788-0098
Appointment Required: Yes
HIV testing is provided at nearby locations for at risk populations. Call for information.
255 N Canyon Dr, Gooding, Idaho 83330
Tel: (208) 934-4477
Tel: (208) 934-8558
Appointment Required: Yes
Referrals available for HIV/STD testing.
951 E Ave H, Jerome, Idaho 83338
Tel: (208) 324-8838
Tel: (208) 324-9554
Appointment Required: Yes
1203 Idaho St, Lewiston, Idaho 83501
Tel: (208) 848-8300
Tel: (208) 848-8303
Appointment Required: Yes
Free condoms available.
4696 W Overland Rd, Ste 226, Boise, Idaho 83705
Tel: (208) 378-1368
Appointment Required: Yes
Use our confidential STD symptom checker to get an idea of what STDs/STIs your symptoms align with and what STD tests are recommended to you.
Start Symptom CheckerWhich Method of STD Testing is Suitable for Me?
Every sexually active individual must protect their sexual health. Regular STD testing is the only way to care for your sexual health. However, sometimes it becomes confusing to select the right testing method as there are so many options available. For your convenience, we have gathered information about all available STD testing methods in Idaho. Check them out to find out which option is suitable for you.
This is one of the most popular ways to get tested for STDs today. These tests combine the best of both worlds for convenience and accuracy. You will order the test online at home, but you can walk into a professional lab testing center to get tested.
Another option is to simply visit your regular clinic and talk to your doctor.
If you do not want to visit a testing center, then a great alternative is an at-home test kit. You don’t even need to leave your house to get tested for STDs this way, which makes it the most discreet option. Everything is done through email and snail mail.
One last option for STD testing is a trip to a free clinic. If you go to a public STD-testing clinic, then you may get a free or discounted test, depending on your financial situation.
Learn more in our ultimate guide to STD testing.
It can be, but it does not necessarily have to be. What many people need to understand is that laboratory tests would most often than not be relatively pricey due to the technology that is being utilized behind these diagnostic techniques. However, opting for specific laboratories that offer more convenient testing procedures and discounted prices for diagnostic tests would help ensure that the price will not be much of an issue in providing you with the conclusive diagnosis of your condition. It might take some independent scanning to find the right testing center for you in the most acceptable price range, but it is not as impossible as many people make it out to be.
Considering that a wide variety of testing kits and laboratory procedures can be performed to determine conclusively whether you have a particular STD or not, the time that it will take for your results to return will also be subject to the same inconsistency. Although there are specific laboratories that could produce your results even by the end of the day (albeit, it is extremely rare for institutions to do so unless necessary), most would often take a few days to a week before the results are either delivered or posted online through your secure personal profile (in the case of online transactions). In addition to that, the capability of the laboratory performing the test may also contribute to the overall timeframe of result delivery – causing delays in cases where there are several requests or understaffed to provide expedited results.
For more information, skip to the FAQs section on this page.
Test Advisor
Know all about STD testing options, and the costs of different STD tests.
Idaho STD Data
Idaho has some of the country’s lowest prevalence of STDs among all the states. It ranked relatively low nationally for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. In 2017, around 6,200 people were diagnosed with chlamydia in Idaho, giving the state a rate of 368 cases/100,000 people after population adjustment. This was the 7th lowest rate in all 50 US states. However, compared to the 2012 rate, the number of chlamydia cases in Idaho has increased by 30%.
Regarding gonorrhea, the state reportedly had the 4th lowest number of cases among all US states, which was around one-third of the overall national rate. Idaho’s gonorrhea rate was around 80% lower than Mississippi, which had the highest rate of gonorrhea in 2017. Over the years, the gonorrheal infection has exploded all across Idaho as its rate has gone up by over 450% since 2012.
After population adjustment, Idaho’s rate of primary and secondary syphilis cases was the country’s 11th lowest and over 80% less than Nevada’s levels, which had the highest rate of syphilis in 2017. But, the state has recorded over a 440% increase in syphilis cases since 2014.
In Idaho, chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most widely prevalent STD, and the infection rate is the highest among people between the ages of 15 and 24.
The incidence rate of gonorrhea infection in Idaho rose to alarming levels between 2015 and 2016, accounting for 36 infections per 100,000 people. This was the highest reported infection rate in the past thirty years, as in 1968, just 68 infections/100,000 people were reported. Like chlamydia, gonorrheal infections are also commonly reported among young Idahoans.
Around two-thirds of infections are reported among people aged 15-29 years, and over 50% of all infections in 2016-2017 occurred in people aged 20-29 years of age. The rate of gonorrhea cases in south-central Idaho marked a 203% increase in 2016-17, whereas, in southeast Idaho, the rate decreased approx. 14%.
The incidence rate of early syphilis reported during 2015 and 2016 was about five infections in every 100,000 people annually, significantly less than either chlamydia or gonorrhea. (Early syphilis is when the infection has been happening for less than 12 months.) However, recent reports of early syphilis in Idaho are higher today than in 20 years. The increases over the last two years can be attributed to an ongoing outbreak of syphilis in Southwest Idaho and steady incremental increases in the number of early syphilis infections reported among Idahoans in other areas of the state.
The state recorded a syphilis outbreak in 2014, which affected residents of Canyon and Ada counties and contributed to the high number of infections diagnosed in 2015-16. Syphilis, if left untreated, can lead to deafness, blindness, meningitis, dementia, and paralysis.
Idaho is a U.S state located in the northwestern part of the country. The state is home to beautiful landscapes and mountain ranges. In terms of area, Idaho is considered to be the 14th largest state. According to the data from the U.S Bureau of Census, Idaho's population is 1.8 million, making it the 13th least populated state.
Considering the data obtained from the United States Census Bureau, 2019, the total population of Idaho was 1.7 million. The majority of the population of Idaho are White Americans (93%). The rest of the ethnic groups, such as Black Americans, Asians, and individuals of Hispanic origin, are a minority in Idaho.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, CDC Idaho is among those states where the prevalence of HIV is fairly low. In 2015, the state reportedly had 38 adults and adolescents newly diagnosed with the virus.
The numbers from CDC, Idaho State profile indicates that during the year 2015, only 38 individuals were newly diagnosed with HIV. In 2018 according to a report by AIDSVu, the numbers of newly diagnosed cases in the state remained 37, which means that during four years, the numbers of newly diagnosed cases were still the same.
CDC has ranked Idaho43rd of the 50 U.S states of having the largest number of HIV patients. In 2018 1176 adults and adolescents were living with HIV in Idaho. The rate of people living with HIV per 100,000 population was 82.
In 2016, 6,706 cases of STD infections were reported in Idaho. This means roughly 4 infections/1,000 Idahoans. However, the primary issue of concern for the Idaho State government is that the rate of STDs has been rising among teens and young adults across the state. Reportedly, Idahoans aged 15-29 are the most vulnerable group for chlamydia and gonorrhea infections. Over three-quarters of chlamydia cases and around two-thirds of gonorrhea cases were diagnosed in 15-29-year-old Idahoans. Moreover, early syphilis and HIV infections affected a wider age range in the state.
About one in every ten syphilis infections during 2016 were reported in men, accounting for 86% of all cases. Compared to gonorrhea and chlamydia, early syphilis infections were highly prevalent among people aged 20-34. Over half of all infections, reportedly, were among the same age group, and one-third of syphilis cases were diagnosed in people aged 25-34 years.
In 2015, the state had the 38th highest rate of chlamydia diagnoses among people age 15–19 in the country, with an infection rate of 1,452 cases/100,000 people. There were around 1,666 chlamydia cases in people between the age 15-19. The state had the 49th highest rate of reported gonorrhea cases among the same age group compared to the national average, with an infection rate of 47.1 cases/100,000.
Also, in 2015, 54 gonorrhea cases were reported among young people aged 15–19 in Idaho. Furthermore, regarding syphilis, the state had the 46th highest rate of primary and secondary syphilis cases, but just 1 case was identified in 15–19 age group.
In 2015, around 30% of female high schoolers and 29% of male students reported being sexually active, which was higher than the national average of 29% female and 30% male high schoolers. About 29% of Hispanic high schoolers and 30% of whites in Idaho, reportedly, were sexually active, whereas 30% of Hispanics and 30.3% of white high schoolers in the country reportedly were sexually active.
Around 40% of white high school students reported not using condoms. Approximately 2.6% of whites and 5.3% of Hispanic high school students reported having sexual intercourse before turning 13; 91.2% of female high school students and 92% of male students in Idaho reported never been tested for HIV, while 91% of Hispanics and 91.8% of white high schoolers reported never been tested for HIV.
According to a report by AIDSVu, the total number of individuals living with HIV in Idaho during the year 2018 was 1176, of which 37 alone were newly diagnosed during the same year. The rate of people living with HIV per 100,000 population during 2018 was 82.
Considering the AIDSVu report, 80.7% of the total people living with HIV were males, while 19.3% were females. White Americans were mainly affected by the virus, so 68.2% of the total positive cases were White Americans, followed by 16.3%Hispanic or Latin individuals, and 9.2% of the cases were Black Americans. The prevalence of the virus was found more in people above 55 years of age (38 %).
During 2018 the total number of HIV-related mortalities in Idaho was 13, while the rate of HIV-related deaths per 100,000 population was 1. The most common mode of transmission of the virus in males was male to male sexual contact (68.5%) while the most common modes of transmission of HIV in females was heterosexual contact (66.5%).
The top priorities of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare are to improve outreach and ensure comprehensive STD education. Part of its efforts is health districts across the state and community business organizations. The department continually launches STD prevention and awareness initiatives despite the reduction in national funding for such programs.
There are seven health districts in Idaho, all of which work closely with the state health department to offer to fund for education and outreach, training assistance, and increase testing resources for the districts. By collaborating with community-based organizations in Idaho, the department offers free testing opportunities to individuals and free condoms to the districts. It also provides training on STDs so that health care professionals can determine local and national trends and get familiar with any new treatment options.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers school-based HIV/STD prevention programs, which include initiatives like providing funding and technical assistance to local and state educational agencies via different funding streams. CDC’s program aims to ensure better student health, collect/report data on risk behaviors of young people, implement HIV/STD prevention programs, and expand capacity-building.
In 2017, the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) provided funding to 18 state education agencies and 17 school districts to help them strengthen student health via exemplary sexual health education (ESHE). This includes a more profound emphasis on HIV and STD prevention strategies, increased access to critical sexual health services, and establishing safe and supportive environments for students and staff. To achieve these goals, DASH funded six NGOs to help state and local educational agencies.
Moreover, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare manages the state’s PREP grant along with eight sub-grantees. The programming takes place in schools and community-based settings. Its main targets are students in grades 9-12, mainly Latinos aged between 12-18, and young people in rural areas in Ada, Minidoka, Gooding, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Shoshone, Twin Falls, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Nez Perce, Owyhee, Payette, and Valley counties.
As a part of the bigger plan to make America an HIV-free country, there have been several state and federal initiatives that constantly work for facilitating HIV patients in numerous ways and streamlining the treatment opportunities.
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has a few programs specially designed to spread awareness and provide HIV prevention interventions to Idaho residents. These preventive interventions include HIV counseling, testing, and referral services in both clinical and community settings. The department has a program for condom distribution to avoid the transmission of virus due to unprotected sexual contact and provision of Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Prep is the medication made available by the IDAHO Department of Health and Welfare for reducing the risk of contracting HIV through sexual contact. The medication, however, does not guarantee total protection against this virus. Hence a regular screening is essential too.
AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, ADAP, Idaho is a federally funded initiative that ensures essential medications and treatment services to people living with HIV/AIDS belonging to low-income groups.
Idaho Housing and Finance Association provides various financial assistance services and housing opportunities to the low-income groups of people living with HIV. The financial assistance program involves retaining the affected individual/family's current house financially by paying rent.
Ryan White Part B is a federal funding program that funds state-level organizations that provide treatment and other support services to individuals living with HIV. The program gives funds for medical insurance, treatment, rental support to retain houses, and other services such as transportation to and from the hospital, counseling, and other awareness sessions for the general public.
How Does it Work?
Most people experience feelings of hesitation when going to get tested for STD, despite knowing they might have contracted one. EasySTD was created to change that.
Visit your nearest lab or clinic, order your home testing kit online, and follow the given instructions from an STD testing provider.
After ordering your STD test, visit the testing center to get tested or take a self sample including urine, cotton swab, or finger prick with the home testing kit and mail it back.
Receive the lab-certified results of your STD test from your test provider via mail or phone within 2 to 3 days. If the test comes positive, consult your doctor immediately.
Cities Nearby
Depending on the test being performed and the testing physician's targeted diseases, various types of samples can be requested from you. In some instances, a minuscule blood sample of a few milliliters will be collected, some might ask for a urine sample, and others may opt for a genital swab. Again, the sample being collected will depend on the test being conducted and the outcome that is being targeted for this particular procedure.
Yes. Certain companies offer at-home testing kits wherein you are the one that will collect the specimens necessary for the test at the comfort of your own home. Sure, it might sometimes be subject to errors due to the potential contamination of the sample from collection to transportation, but it does offer a great deal of privacy and convenience for patients who would prefer to have their identities hidden in fear that their community will judge them.
It would vary depending on the condition that is being tested. STDs behave differently due to the varying pathogenicity of each STD’s causative organism. In some instances, you can get accurately tested as early as two weeks following exposure, while some are intermittently inaccurate due to its recurrence (much like in the case of herpes infections). To avoid this, be sure to discuss the intricacies of the test with your physician to understand whether a particular test could provide you with a conclusive diagnosis or if it still needs another confirmatory test to establish its premise.
Although NAATs are well-known for their accuracy and sensitivity in detecting most STDs, it is also subject to certain inconsistencies, especially in the case of herpes infections. In Herpes, outbreaks often result in a relative increase in the patient’s viral load – leading to a timeline that usually has specific peaks at certain intervals instead of a consistent rise in viral load throughout. As such, sensitive tests such as NAATs are still unable to accurately diagnose herpes conditions, especially in cases where the patient has recently become asymptomatic and is currently between outbreaks. Other tests such as culture testing and type-specific virologic tests are often employed instead as a confirmatory diagnosis for the patient’s condition.
It does vary on a case-to-case basis. Insurance policies are often particular with the instances that they would be covering with their program. Some may cover severe accidents, some may even consider “orphan disease,” and yes, some may also cover the expenses for performing STD diagnostic tests. However, considering that your insurance provider will have to verify the person's identity availing of the program, STD testing laboratories that employ a minimal collection of patient information may not accept insurance policies to prioritize privacy over affordability.
Help stop the spread of STDs by knowing your status. Get tested today!