Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise in the United States. Indiana State follows a similar trend as witnessed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nationwide. CDC’s statistics from the past five years indicate a surge in combined cases of the three common, reportable STDs, namely chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea in Indiana. CDC claims that the cases reached an all-time high in the state in 2018. Teenagers and young adults are the most impacted population groups in Indiana.
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Do you know STDs are one of the strongest indicators that you are indulging in unprotected sexual activity? And that its consequences could be drastic for the individual as an STD increases your risk of contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) by 2 to 5 times. You must think about making STD testing a regular part of your annual health inspection and if you have multiple partners, think about getting screened every three to six months. STD treatment can prevent you from getting HIV, so it can be assumed that STD testing, treatment, and prevention, are direct prevention interventions for HIV.
On the other hand, untreated STDs are one of the leading causes of many chronic, life-threatening diseases such as chronic pelvic pain, cancer, and male/female infertility. Pregnant females and newborns are specifically vulnerable to the risks associated with undiagnosed and untreated STDs. The good news is that antibiotics are available and can cure almost all STDs. The key is to get tested and diagnose the infection at the right time and an early stage.
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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 Indiana. 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.
Indiana STD Data
In Indiana, a syphilis outbreak was witnessed between 1999 and 2000, after which a steep drop in the number of cases was observed. However, within the past five years, the rate of primary and secondary syphilis cases has significantly increased. Between 2015 and 2018, the Indiana State Department of Health reported a 19.4% increase in the reported chlamydia cases and a 53.5% increase in reported gonorrhea cases in the state. Since 2015, the Indiana health department has noticed a 27.8% increase in syphilis cases.
Furthermore, according to the data shared by the Indiana State Department of Health, STDs reached an all-time high in 2018 as 34,926 chlamydia cases, 12,193 gonorrhea cases, and 367 cases of primary, secondary syphilis were reported in the state. In addition to this, the ISHD stated that at least 2 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in newborns. Each day in 2019, the state of Indiana reported 133 positive cases of STDs,
As far as gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis cases are concerned, both diseases have reportedly undergone a sharp rise. In 2005, the number of chlamydia cases increased significantly, and the trend continued for the next seven years before recording a slight drop between 2013 and 2015. However, during this time, syphilis cases dropped by 28% after recording an unprecedented high in 2003.
According to the CDC State Health Profile, Indiana state ranked 27th among the fifty US stated in chlamydia infections at a rate of 437.9 cases/100,000 people. It ranked 23rd in gonorrheal infections at a rate of 118,9 cases/100,000 people.
Indiana has been recording a steep rise in the number of HIV cases over the last decade. As per Indiana State Health Department, in 2007, 8,851 people were living with HIV in the state. By the end of December 2008, the state had around 4,105 residents diagnosed with HIV and 5,177 had progressed to AIDS, a latter and more lethal stage of HIV. This indicates, 9,282 people were living with HIV in Indiana back in 2008.
Around a decade later, in 2018, the state had around 6,357 people living with HIV at a rate of 95.4 people/100,000 population. On the other hand, nearly 6,351 people were living with AIDS at a rate of 95.3 people/100,000 persons.
AIDSVu reported that in 2019, 11,638 people were living with HIV in the state, while 486 people were newly diagnosed with the disease. The rate of people living with HIV was 207 per 100,000 population. The rate of new HIV diagnoses was 9/100,000 in 2019. By gender, the percentage of people living with HIV was over 78% males and over 21% females, which means males constitute the most significant proportion of HIV prevalence in Indiana.
According to the same report, the white population had the largest percentage of people living with HIV by ethnicity or race in 2019 with 46.3% of all cases, followed by blacks with 37.2% and Hispanics were the third most impacted race with over 10% of cases. However, regarding new diagnoses of HIV, the black race reported the biggest chunk of cases with 44.2%, followed by whites with 38.3%, and the third most affected race was Hispanics with 14% new diagnoses in 2019.
The Indiana State Department of Health reported that more cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia were reported among teens and young adults in 2018. Regarding gonorrhea, a majority of infections occurred in men (over 50%) in 2018, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). Chlamydia was predominantly prevalent in females than males as three-quarters of cases were identified in females.
Non-Hispanic Blacks reported a higher number of chlamydia cases between 2014 and 2018, with cases reaching over 4000 among people aged 20-24, out of which over 2,500 cases were diagnosed among females and around 1455 among males. The second most impacted age group in the black race was 15-19, with more than 3400 cases. Out of these, over 2300 cases were reported in females and around 1050 in males.
A similar situation is observed among the white population in Indiana as age 20-24, and 15-19 reported the largest proportion of chlamydial infections in 2014-2018 with 5392 and 3701 cases, respectively. White males reported 1372 (age 20-24) and 598 (age group 15-19) chlamydia cases, and females reported 3103 (15-19 age group) and 4019 (20-24 age group) cases. According to CDC State Health Profile 2015-2016, the state reported 609 cases per 100,000 people in women, which was 2.3 times higher than males, which reported 261.3 cases per 100,000 people.
However, the fact cannot be ignored that in Indiana, the black population is disproportionately impacted by all three reportable STDs. STDs are more prevalent among minorities than the white population in this state. Among the state’s general population, 4.3% come from a Hispanic background and reported 5.2% of chlamydia cases in 2005, while gonorrhea impacted Hispanics much less than chlamydia. Among the Hispanic population, the number of syphilis cases was considerably higher, with 8% in 2005.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health’s STD prevention specialist, Caitlin Conrad, this disproportionateness is due to several factors.
“It can be anything from more online dating sites than we’ve ever had before [where] people have more access to more partners and more anonymous partners to reduced stigma [because] maybe people don’t feel as scared of STDs as they used to because they’re all treatable conditions. Conrad noted that "people are getting tested pretty frequently now and have access to better healthcare services.”
According to the data shared by Indiana State Health Department, between 2016 and 2018, the prevalence rates of people living with HIV/AIDS by sex were much disproportionate. In 2016 male population reported 297.8 cases, 308.4 cases in 2017, and 306.1 cases in 2018. On the other hand, females reported 73.3 cases in 2016, 76.7 cases in 2017, and 78.3 cases in 2018. In 2018, 10,061 males were living with HIV in Indiana state, and 2,647 females were living with HIV.
As far as the age distribution is concerned, the most impacted age group during 2018 was 50-59-year-old individuals as they reported 423.3 cases per 100,000 population, followed by 40-49-year-old people with 367.1 cases, 30-39-year olds reported over 291 cases, and 60-64-year-old individuals reported 244.6 cases per 100,000 people.
In 2019, as per AIDSVu, the percent of people newly with HIV by age was much different from 2018 as the most impacted age group was 25-34-year-old adults with 36.4% of all cases followed by 35-44-year-old individuals who reported over 23% of all cases, and third most affected age group was 13-24-year olds with over 20% of all new diagnoses. In 2018, the white race reported 6,042 cases, followed by blacks with 4,881 cases, and Hispanics reportedly had 1,162 cases of people living with HIV in Indiana. Moreover, around 47.5% of people living with HIV in 2018 were whites, 38.4% were blacks, and 9.1% were Hispanics.
Indiana is among the 8 states that received federal funding from the Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB) federal fund to find emergency protocols for resistant gonorrhea treatment.
The state’s STD Prevention Program is launched with the mission to curb the spread of STDs and reduce underlying complications that could lead to HIV. Through this program, financial and technical assistance is offered to local STD programs to carry out disease surveillance, ensure regular screening for case detection and treatment of identified cases. Furthermore, the program is also responsible for ensuring case follow-up and further counseling/education. Health care providers across the state collaborate to offer appropriate low-cost screening services for the three common STDs and offer prevention counseling to impacted people.
The STD Prevention Program engages partner agencies, community groups, and other stakeholders to decrease the STD-related disparity among vulnerable communities/populations, including improving health inequalities among people with STDs.
The Clark County Health Department and Hoosiers Hills AIDS Coalition have collaborated for the state’s HIV/STD Program. Their joint office is located in Jeffersonville. The program offers a full range of intergraded services to the citizens of Clark, Floyd, and 12 surrounding counties located in Southeast Indiana.
The Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention (RCAP) was founded in 1994 and promoted HIV/STD prevention throughout rural America. The program offers prevention services and develops strategies to overcome behavioral and social barriers to rural HIV/STD prevention. RCAP’s headquarter is at Indiana University in the Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health – Bloomington.
The Division of HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis is responsible for promoting public health awareness and improving the quality of life for people in Indiana. It strives to introduce novel strategies for timely diagnoses, prevention, treatment, and intervention of HIV and other STDs. The department’s mission is to identify and assess Indiana citizens’ needs for HIV prevention services and ensure the provision of quality health care facilities to all population groups. The initiative aims to prevent the transmission of HIV and STDs and encourage equitable health resources distribution to offer an ideal life to people living with HIV.
The Indiana State Department of Health developed and implemented a public health and education awareness campaign titled You Are Not Alone. This initiative focuses on substance abuse treatment, needle disposal, safe sex practices, and prompt HIV testing and treatment. You Are Not Alone campaign involves the use of billboards, TV, print, radio, and digital ads.
The HIV Services Program (HSP) is responsible for offering people living with HIV access to antiretroviral drugs and core medical and support services. The scope of HSP was significantly expanded in 2018. Initially, it was tasked to offer infected individuals easy access to cost-free comprehensive health insurance and today, it offers a full range of HIV-related services to people living with HIV through non-medical case management organizations operating statewide.
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.
STD Testing by City
It is recommended to get tested for STDs if you have had unprotected sexual contact, multiple sexual partners, or if you are experiencing symptoms associated with STDs. Additionally, regular testing is recommended as part of routine sexual health care, even in the absence of symptoms, especially for individuals who are sexually active.
Standard STD testing can detect common sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, and hepatitis B and C. Additional tests may be required for less common STDs or specific situations.
A nucleic acid amplification test is a laboratory procedure that professionals often perform to make detecting a particular nucleic acid or gene being targeted easier and more convenient while still ensuring that the sample being collected is relatively minimal. Nucleic acid amplification tests, or NAATs, are usually the mainstay diagnostic test for most STDs due to their ability to detect the presence of pathogenic nucleic acids and genes in the patient sample with utmost accuracy and speed. NAATs depends on their ability to replicate the target RNA and DNA to create numerous copies – resulting in an increased convenience in the detection of the desired molecules instead of trying to either blindly look for one strand in a minuscule sample or collecting a large sample that could make the patient uncomfortable throughout the process. Although NAATs are often preferred for a more conclusive diagnosis of STDs, certain exceptions such as the availability of resources and instances of intermittent viral shedding could make NAATs less desirable than other tests. Fret not, however, as your physician is knowledgeable regarding these instances and would often request the best diagnostic procedure for your instances.
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.
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.
Help stop the spread of STDs by knowing your status. Get tested today!
